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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26265697">Flip to side-B for more content</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/VentisetteStars/pseuds/VentisetteStars'>VentisetteStars</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Both sides of the tape [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Magnus Archives (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ace stuff is cuddles and smooches at most., Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Asexual Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Basira Hussain is Ashes O'Reilly, F/F, F/M, Fix-It, Jon and Melanie are best bros, Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist Has ADHD, M/M, Monster!Jon, Sasha is fine, Slow Burn, The Mechanisms Were The Archivist's College Band, Time Travel Fix-It, beholding will be used for youtube, gets worse before gets better, gunna be spooky, happy end, i'll add tags and characters as i go, implied spoilers for s5 but no explicit detail and vague at best, lotsa cats, more than one ace in the archives, no beta we die like Gertrude’s assistants, no worms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:54:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>94,116</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26265697</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/VentisetteStars/pseuds/VentisetteStars</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jon removes the watcher's crown and the world fills with static. Jon undoes the end of the world, and travels back to the moment he signed the contract to become the archivist in Elias’s office.</p><p>Jon makes changes. Elias continues being a dick. Tim makes chaos. Martin makes tea. Sasha has the brain cell. Georgie and Melanie help.</p><p>A bet is made.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Basira Hussain/Alice "Daisy" Tonner, Georgie Barker/Melanie King, Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Both sides of the tape [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1939885</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1107</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>903</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. rewind the tapes as time is meaningless</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>edits:<br/>My partner's been pointing out spelling errors they've noticed that i've been going back to fix, but leaving the no beta tag cause as I'm posting, there are no checks being done x3 just straight from doc to post.</p><p>--<br/>I started this on a whim and now I've got about 10 chapters fully written and more planned atm. orz </p><p>There is no beta done. if anyone notices anything let me know. </p><p>I'll be doing trigger warnings for future chapters in the end notes, but I don't think this chapter has anything. Please let me know if there is anything I should tag for!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>Time is hard.</em> How long had it even been since the last time a recorder turned on. Jon sat running his hand through Martin’s hair as Martin slept dreamlessly. The nightmares have long since faded for him.</p><p>They had defeated Jonah hoping it would reverse things, only when his body was destroyed, the Ceaseless Watcher was kind enough to repair the damages. That gift turned out to extend to Jon after a few other attempts to return the world to what it once was. No. Killing those that served the Beholding didn’t have any effects on this world. The end no longer held power over them. This was it. Nothing was changing. Things stopped having ways to change.</p><p>It was <em>boring</em>. Jon hated it in that he was getting hungry again as well, having to travel further and further to witness new reactions. The responses to the fears had started to feel similar enough through traveling, it was like reading a new book from an author that tended to have a style they stuck with. People experiencing things were still suffering in an eternal loop, never knowing that they felt it before. It was fresh for those suffering, but increasingly growing stale for those that feed on it. Jon Knew. Jonah Knew. The Ceaseless Watcher Knew.</p><p>There was a click. It took Jon a fraction of a moment to realize the tape turned on. He was flooded with relief, it’d been so long. He hated himself for that feeling. Static filled the air and words poured from his mouth as they hadn’t in so long. He didn’t pay much attention to what he was saying at first, it was just filling.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>“In this barren land that was flooded with fears,<br/>
Flooded to over-saturation filled the air<br/>
A new fear was emerging<br/>
Soon to be birthed in this world of endless suffering.<br/>
Not the fear of Extinction, but<br/>
A fear that could be also tied closely to the End<br/>
A fear that could call the Lonely or Vast cousin,<br/>
But not the Extinction.<br/>
It was something far more benign and sinister.”</p>
</blockquote><p>Martin was stirred from hearing Jon’s voice.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>“Bearing witness to this new fear.<br/>
The Archive watched, as always,<br/>
waiting for this Fear to emerge.<br/>
Waiting to be able to give it a name to file away.”</p>
</blockquote><p>Martin’s eyes grew wide. He was very awake as Jon recorded.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>“This fear could not emerge. Not yet. There isn’t enough yet.<br/>
It’s too soon.<br/>
<em>The Door must be –</em> <b><em>closed</em>.</b> ”</p>
</blockquote><p>There was a cracking sound from the recorder, then Jon blinked.</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>Jon blinked. He was sitting in Elias’ office and before him was a contract. The pen that was in his hand, just lifted off the paper. Jonah- Elias was sitting at the desk before him. “That should wrap up the needed paperwork for your transf-” Elias was interrupted by Jon as he stood up, knocking his chair over. “Jon, are you alright?”</p><p>Jon’s eyes darted around the room. <em>What...</em></p><p><em>March 25th, 2015 </em> The Beholding supplied to Jon. Least that answers when his fate was sealed.</p><p>“A-ah yeah. Yes. I’m quite fine.” Jon cleared his throat as he picked up the chair and sat back down. The action bought him a second to collect his thoughts. This was the day he had officially taken the job offer for the Archives. Gods, Elias was disgusting for taking no time to fill the position that Gertrude left often. Jon thought that the first time around too, but now that he knows, it’s all the worse. It was just last weekend.</p><p>“I’m glad to hear it. Do you have any questions before you start tomorrow in the Archives?”</p><p>Jon hesitated slightly, still mildly disoriented. Something had happened with that last statement. He would have to play along for now, and figure out what happened tonight.</p><p>“Yes, about my assistants.” If they hadn’t signed their contracts, maybe…</p><p>“Ah yes. They should already be moving their things down to their office space since they aren’t waiting on cleaners like you are. Should be able to get started right away tomorrow as we discussed earlier.“</p><p>“Yes. Right. Thank you.” Jon couldn’t remember how this conversation went. Might be better to stop for now since looks like contracts had been signed. “I think that will be all.” Jon started to get up to head out and collect his thoughts.</p><p>“Oh, Jon.” Elias called out as Jon neared the door. “I wanted to say I look forward to working with you in your new position. I’m sure the Archives will be humming in no time.” Jon wanted to punch this smug bastard.</p><p>“I’ll see what I can do.” Jon left and closed the door behind him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you enjoyed the prologue! this is just the beginning of what I got planned. Giving Jon a little bit more time to figure out how to go about saving the world. </p><p>Not sure if I'll post the next chapter tomorrow or the day after, but thinking my goal for releasing new chapters will be every 2-3 days for now.<br/><b>9/4/20 edit:</b> breaking the chapters up into smaller chapters to update more often for now. Anyone have preferences on frequent short chapters vs long chapters but less often?</p><p>Let me know what you think and thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Jon makes plans</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon returned to his flat while on auto-pilot. He barely remembered where he actually lived at this time in his life, but apparently the Beholding had his back. It also seemed to buzz in his mind when passing by people with Statements. They were all Statements that Jon had collected passively in the future so he didn’t have much trouble resisting. Like leftovers in a container that hadn’t yet expired, waiting for leftover night rather than making a fresh meal. He had shuttered at the thought. <br/>
 <br/>
As Jon entered his flat, a conversation with Helen bubbled in his mind. It seemed like ages ago, tho it technically hadn’t happened yet, about his feeding preferences. It was true that his frustration was that he got caught, wasn’t it? He would have to be careful to not go overboard as he wasn’t sure feeding could be avoided like the first time around. Seemed like whatever had caused this shift, had brought him back as a fully realized avatar. It wasn’t like before, and he Knew he was already past the point of paper statement only diet. Be like trying to live off chewing only gum.  <br/>
 <br/>
Jon tossed his jacket to the floor and fell into his strange yet familiar couch. He sunk into the familiar him shaped dent in the old thing. The dent he’d help create while the couch still resided with his grandmother. Such a normal comfort.</p><p>It was about a year from now that things really started to pick up on the spooky frontlines in the office. But his first real statement would be only about a week away at best. The time would still give him some time to better plan how to protect everyone. How to set everything up like last time to keep Elias in the dark. </p><p>He was pretty sure Elias wasn't able to See him this time around, least he hasn't felt Elias even try yet today. Which Jon would need to think in on that later cause seemed very off character for Elias. <em>Elias, not, watching?</em> That thought was just as unsettling as when Elias was watching.<br/>
 <br/>
Pulling out his phone he opened the note app and worked on a list. <br/>
 <br/>
First thing to make this work was he needed rules for feeding. Maybe he would only seek out Lonely statements if it came to only live statement diet, since at least that way they would be less alone in the dreams? He Knew that he would be able to put it off for a while before he started to get weak. Got to make sure he doesn’t fly through the written statements too fast. No need to send Elias any flags if he could avoid it.</p><p>Basira wasn’t around to help stop him -though with a text maybe she could? At this point, it’d only been a few years since they last talked, and he was sure she was already sectioned at this point. No. He wouldn’t put that on her. This was his problem. If they were to reconnect, it would be for reunion drinks or she would be on duty. <br/>
 <br/>
Secondly, he had a year to prepare for Prentiss. Make sure everyone had access to CO2 long before they needed it?  Maybe could stop her from developing as far or intercept while she was weak? He would have to do some digging for dates since tho he Knew some of them, time still felt a little weird. He has a strong hunch he's been outside of time far longer now that he was in it. <br/>
 <br/>
It’d only been a moment in his mind when a thought suddenly made Jon choke a sob. Martin was just on his lap this- No, Jon couldn't think about him. This was Jon’s chance to keep Martin and so many others from suffering. He couldn't fall apart this soon.<br/>
 <br/>
“Maybe get a cat...I can’t drag him in this time…” Jon inhaled deeply a little before finishing the sentence. It’d been the two of them, for so long. Jon could practically feel the Lonely side-eyeing him from wherever it was lurking. Peter was still alive. </p><p>Jon typed get a cat as the third bullet. He would have to wait for Peter to show up to keep the salty creature from ever touching Martin. <br/>
 <br/>
Thinking of the Institute led to a thought surfacing. Tomorrow would be Jon’s first day as a boss. He could...There was so much more he could do to keep them safe this time around, <em>even from him.</em> At this point, the most that the three knew of him was he was a bit standoffish prick on good days. He was not quite that anymore. Least not to the levels he used to be. But he had learned how important human connections were. He wasn’t going to ruin that this time.<br/>
 <br/>
Jon looked at the time on his phone. 7:22pm. He would have enough time to run to the store before it closed. If he was going to try to protect them by getting closer to them, he would need to have a paper trail for his sudden personality shift. Tim and Martin might find easy reasons to shrug it off, but Sasha would know right away something about Jon shifted. She worked in artifacts for a time and Gertrude wanted her to be the Archivist. </p><p>He would need to have a convincing paper trail to keep her from guessing he was an eye monster from the future....would that be a thing she would guess? Probably more likely she would blame it on a Leitner.<br/>
 <br/>
So first piece of paper trail was going to a book. Not a Leitner, hell no not a Leitner. Jon’s goal was a book called ‘<em>So you are a Boss now, tips for building a happy workplace</em>’ that he Knew was in stock at the bookstore two stops away. Bring that to work with him and ‘accidentally’ leave it in the break room. Tim would probably tease him, but would explain Jon being more friendly to the others while doing a terrible or at least awkward job at it. It was a dreadfully embarrassing book as well. The kind of book that no one should take advice from, enough so that it would help him hide any of his bad tells from lying from shear trying to deny it was his. <br/>
 <br/>
Jon spent the night making notes in the horrid book and roughing it up a bit to make it look like a used copy he was actively referencing. The book felt cursed enough he wouldn’t have been surprised to find a Leitner plate on it. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>bit scattered from Jon's POV. Kinda projecting my own adhd train of thoughts the way his planning goes. Too many thoughts, too much to plan, and time is hard. (also not sure if anyone noticed, but he didn’t take off his shoes cause he forgot how houses work after the end of the world. Weird head canon of mine cause of how easy it is to lose habits xD didn’t know how to include that in just yet or if I would be able to in the future so wanted to share.)</p><p>Originally the plan was to release longer chapters few days apart, but I'm thinking I want to try posting shorter chapters more often. (I've got enough already written to be able to update in short chapter form every night for about 2 weeks atm. rather than only posting a chapter a week. )</p><p>What do you all prefer? long chapters once a week, or shorter snippets more often? </p><p>Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Jon's late</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tim looked to the clock, mildly uneasy. In the entire time he’d known Jon, Tim had never seen Jon late to anything. Jon was always first in, and last out. But it was 9:18 and no sign of Jon. He couldn’t figure out why it put him off so much, but last time Tim didn’t trust his gut...</p><p>“Think boss’s got cold feet for his first day?” Tim walked to Sasha’s desk. He needed to get outa his head. He was just being paranoid.  </p><p>“He never seemed like the type for it. Though, can’t say I ever noticed him radiating confidence. This does seem a bit off for him not to be on time, regardless the reasons.” She looked up to the clock to notice the time. “Think maybe he stopped in to talk with Elias before heading down? Elias does like to hear his own voice.” They both let out a snicker at that. Elias was quite the long winded sort.</p><p>“That seems more likely.” Tim grabbed hold of a solved rubix cube from Sasha's desk and started to mess it up. “Think he would-” Tim was cut off by Jon entering, who was looking a little bit off from his normal Jon-ness. “Oh hey, check it out, Boss man is in.”</p><p>To anyone that didn’t know what normal Jon-ness would entail, it would be hard to notice. Jon was in his normal clothes, but they appeared to have wrinkles in the undershirt. Jon’s hair wasn’t as tame as he normally wore it. Disheveled wouldn’t have been the right word for it. Jon looked together, but not his normal together look.</p><p>Jon smiled nervously. <i>Tim. Sasha. The real Sasha had - has - such a great smile.</i>  “G-good morning Tim. Sasha. Where’s Martin? I’d like to go over some things in regards to,” Jon looked around and with a very sudden look of disgust, “this mess I’ve inherited. Was it really this bad?” The archives in their raw, just out of Gertrude’s hands, were far worse than he remembered, especially now that he can Know just by looking. It almost made him sick. </p><p>Tim and Sasha looked at each other, exchanging wordlessly that they agreed something was off, when Tim responded. “I mean, yeah? This place has been chaos for years? Not like we’ve gone and messed it up more in 25 minutes we've been here. Martin’s in the break room. I can get him.” </p><p>Jon nodded. “Thank you. No need to rush him. Once he is done I’d like to see the three of you in my office. I’ll start setting up.” Jon seemed more sheepish than normal as he hurried to his office and left the door open slightly. Maybe the shift to boss was harder on Jon, Tim mused. </p><p>Sasha looked over to Tim with a raised eyebrow. “Jitters looks like?”</p><p>Tim nodded as he set down the rubix cube he was messing with. “Yup. Looks like it.”</p><p>“Dude, Tim! Fix it if you are gunna play with that.”</p><p>“No can do. I tried. Made it worse.” Tim grinned as Sasha punched his arm playfully.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Bit shorter cause of how the scene got broken up. Tried to keep outa Jon's POV for this chunk. </p><p>also gotta say, wow episode 177. This fic will be pretty much spoiler-free for it, but love that part of my HCs was confirmed and it was one this fic is largely based on. </p><p>Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. emotions am I right?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Whoops my hand slipped while rereading for last-minute errors and it doubled in length...Could’ve probably split it up, but I’m impatient and want to get to chapter 7 on time so enjoy the longer chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Seeing Martin sucked. Jon couldn’t look at him, but couldn’t stop looking at him.. The entire time Jon went over his plans to digitize the statements with his assistants, Martin would just look at him, and it would hurt. Martin's eyes were still soft, kind eyes. The same that Jon would get lost in for time immeasurable as they traveled and fell into comfortable silence when there wasn’t much happening. Martin's eyes were missing that familiarity, Martin looked so nervous when their eyes met. This Martin didn’t know. Didn’t share the same bond Jon had with him. Hell, Martin probably didn’t even like Jon at this point in time. Jon could probably Know, but he didn’t want to. It would hurt more.</p><p>Had Jon known the last time he would’ve seen <em>his</em> Martin would be that moment, running his hands through Martin’s hair while feeling a trickle of hunger behind his eyes. Gosh, he would’ve said so many things. Or nothing at all. Just taken in Martin before it just ended. Done anything to put off the statement. </p><p>But no. It was too late for that kinda regret. Jon couldn’t have known the world would be restored in that moment, and he refused to regret that everyone was safe now. If it meant he was a little sad, it was worth it. He wasn’t even all that sure what did it other than the hunch it had something to do with the new fear that came to him. Not knowing the trigger, he understood that he closed the door he opened somehow.</p><p>There were 3 sets of eyes staring at him when Jon realized he’d stopped talking. His mind went blank. He couldn’t remember which were the last words that excited his mouth. Had he spoken the plans for his archives, or did he start speaking his thoughts about Martin? Jon couldn’t remember which parts were thoughts and which were spoken, but he could feel his eyes burning. That stinging burn one would feel before the waterworks started.</p><p>Sasha was the one to break the silence that fell on the office. “You okay? Your eyes look irritated. Do you need a moment?” Her voice was, well it was Sasha’s voice. It was strange yet familiar to Jon’s ears. If Jon could’ve recovered before, he was going to need that moment now thats she spoke.</p><p>Jon blinked and rubbed his eyes with his unscarred hand, forgetting his scarred hand was also unscarred at this point in time- <em>would anyone notice he was suddenly a lefty from being used to never using his right hand for delicate actions anymore?</em> Had he been using his left hand this whole time, while making the fake notes in the cursed boss book he bought last night, while writing out the plans to clean up his archives? He couldn’t remember. Could his right hand even be considered his dominant hand now? The Beholding provided that Sasha knew Jon’s dominant hand was his right, but the other two-</p><p>Jon forced himself to focus. “Y-yeah. Eyes hurt a bit. Allergies maybe? So much Dust down here I suppose I underestimated it or assumed it would’ve been cleaned after...yeah, right, I’ll be back. If you want to start pulling off some boxes from the shelf and see if there are any files that have research done on them. Would probably be a good spot to start testing the recording setup. Now if you will excuse me for a moment.” Jon hurried out of his office while pinching the area between his eyes before any of the three could say a word. </p><p>This was going to be much harder than Jon thought it would. </p><p>“Well. That was-” Tim sounded a bit shocked seeing Jon rush out. “Not the worst meeting I’ve participated in but...”</p><p>“Yeah, quite odd. He looked like he was about to start crying?” Sasha grabbed the papers Jon had photocopied for them all to used as reference. “Think if he isn’t back by 11 one of you’d like to check on him? Not that I have a problem bursting into the guy’s room, I feel like Jon might?” She had a smirk at that. No one used the restrooms on this floor.</p><p>Martin looked at the two of them. “Think that would be a good idea. Was it just me, or did it seem to get worse each time he looked at me?” Martin immediately looked flustered as Tim raised him an eyebrow to that pondering. “N-not like that! I mean, his mood dropped as we went, but seemed to get worse with me for some reason. He wasn’t excited when it was mentioned I would be transferred with you...You think he hates me that much??”  </p><p>“Martin, Marty, My man. No. Jon is just cactus levels of prickly. This was not on you.” Sasha patted Martin’s back as she handed him one of the papers she collected. “Something was off with him, but you couldn’t be the reason he was late and looks like he needs a shower.” </p><p>“Now lets start checking out the spooky files. Maybe if we are lucky, they will all be researched and we only have to put them in order then have nothing but free time forever on.” Tim grabbed his paper and headed out of Jon’s office. </p><p>“Thanks...Yeah, I’m probably overthinking...” Martin sighed. </p><p>“You are, but you can’t help being over critical of what your crush thinks” Martin’s expression helped with the blooming smile on Sasha’s face. “You aren’t good at hiding it. Jon is dense though, so I can guarantee he has no idea.” </p><p>Martin groaned as he followed her out. He hoped she was right and Jon was okay. <br/>
 </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Jon stared himself down in the bathroom mirror, as the tears finally started to calm down. He was feeling better, but knew his eyes were going to betray him if he went out now. Allergies don’t do this. Could he ever get allergies any more? Maybe an experiment for a later date, shove his face in some random dog, see if he has regrets, or just get to enjoy puppy fluff.</p><p>He should’ve suspected that he would be overwhelmed by the three of them. Being alone in a small office with them. Sasha who he wanted to take in every detail of so as to never forget. Tim smiling face, alive and happy. Martin. </p><p>“Get it together Jon. This is…” Should’ve known all three would overwhelm him. It seems so obvious now that it’s happened, and that he should’ve planned for this. He hasn’t even figured anything out yet. Thoughts were still swimming around in chaos over the events from the last 14 hours or so. </p><p>‘One on one meetings for now.’ Jon typed into his phone's note app. He had added quite a lot to the app the night before, as reminders of current events around or certain ways to act. Things humans do that don’t apply to him anymore. Lists of statements he remembered, majority of that part was just dates or written in a code that only he knew what it meant. </p><p>With a dark chuckle, he thought of the notebook in Gertrude’s storage locker and how confused it made him trying to figure out what she was going on about. He still had no idea what anything in the notebook meant even with all his Knowing. The unknowing. To think they all thought it was a threat. Well, still was, but not the end of the world levels of bad. Nope. That threat was Jon’s to hang onto and prevent. </p><p>The other bits of notes in the app were short sentences or mentionings of things like “Laundry is a thing again, don’t wait till last minute to remember” or “lock house when leaving”. Things he hadn’t needed to do in the future. </p><p>He had thought about having some sort of order to it, but seemed pointless since it was for him only, and if anyone who found it, better if they didn’t understand it. Couldn’t save the world if people worried for his mental health and forced him to rest. </p><p>Much as he was an emotional mess, he felt quite calm on the mental health scales. Wandering a literal hellscape had helped him work through some of his more anxieties regarding humanity and his lack-there-of. Had plenty of interactions and time to come to terms with the things he could and could not control. Rules might be a little different now without the Eye in the Sky, but he still felt okay? No more paranoia at least like last time. Paranoia for protecting the others maybe, making sure they would all get grey hair the normal way.</p><p>Jon reached for his own, much shorter and less grey. He hoped it grew quickly. It had been something good to fiddle with that was always on hand. It had been so long before, unnaturally long if he lost track of it and didn’t cut it. Sometimes Annabelle would call a truce every so often and call off her spiders. Help Jon with it, help teach Martin various braids or hairstyles. Not like they had youtube for reference. He probably wouldn’t call it a fond batch of memories, but Martin was there. It’d been Martin’s idea to start interacting with other Avatars if they agreed to play nice. </p><p>Jon let out a deep sigh as Tim walked in. “Hey boss man, you’ve been in here a while. Wanted to make sure you didn’t fall in.” </p><p>“Fall in? Tim, you know I came in here to try and flush out my eyes? I’m small, but not so much I would need to climb to where I could fall into the sink.” Jon scowled at him. How he missed Tim’s jokes, even the bad ones. </p><p>“Ah, such a good joke wasted on you.”  Tim shrugged with a grin. “Either way, seems like you didn’t. You need more time or you doing better?” </p><p>“I’m much better. Just trying to give my eyes a break before coming out there for you all to assume I was crying or something.” One on one was a lot easier to manage talking, though with all his effort to stay in character, there was a fondness leaking into his words. </p><p>“Nah, we wouldn’t Dare think you were crying. If I remember once you’ve mentioned emotions are unneeded and you’ve already grown out of your’s.” </p><p>“You remembered right.” Jon cleared his throat a little. “Thank you for your concern regardless, Tim.” </p><p>“Don’t mention it, Boss.” Tim could see something was up, but Jon probably needed some space. Tim couldn’t shake the feeling that reminded him of his last interaction with Daniel. He was really hoping it wasn’t something like that. “We got a nice stack of spooky files waiting for you.”</p><p>Jon followed behind Tim with a pained tone to his voice, almost like he was holding back a laugh. “Don’t call them spooky files…”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Posted a bit eariler than normal today, I've been trying to stick to the same times, but few hours early isn't bad right? </p><p>Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. the book in the break room</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>aaaaa I just got around to listening to the live show, (didn’t realize it had early days stuff in it so i didn’t listen to it till today) and it was amazing. I never realized Jon hadn’t met Martin until the archives dog incident. thought they would‘ve interacted at least once or twice before working together so aaah time travel messed up events I guess? Hmm maybe Jon being late triggered the changes. Yeah. So Jon didn’t notice cause who really remembers their first day at a new job? Like all the details. Yeah. haha…. //lays down</p><p>I coulda had so much fun with the dog infiltration. //considers edits outline for future dog content alongside any planned cat stuff</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon had insisted he was fine when Tim, Sasha and Martin went for their lunch breaks. He said something about ‘making up for his allergy attack’ though all four of them knew it wasn’t allergies. But if Jon wanted to hide whatever that was, he was a grown man and could make his choices. Least Sasha wasn’t going to force it out of him. </p><p>When she returned with the boys, her first stop was the breakroom to pack away the extras she’d gotten at lunch to be her dinner tonight. Reheated pasta wasn’t the ideal dinner, but seeing as she didn’t feel like stocking her fridge till tomorrow after work, it would do. </p><p>On the break room table, there was a book. It looked far too colorful. The cover a garish yellow with horrible multicolored letters that read ‘<em>So you are a Boss now, tips for building a happy workplace</em>’ across the cover. It looked new, save for the cover being a little beaten up and a few tabs of torn post-its peaking out from multiple locations. Like bookmarks one might use when studying for a test. </p><p>Curiously, Sasha opened up the book to one of the marked pages, which appeared to be holding the place of a section called ‘<em>how to bond with employees</em>’ with a list that had things like bring donuts, have casual Fridays, be interested in coworkers' hobbies. There were notes, written in what she recognized as Jon’s handwriting. </p><p>She let out a laugh as she read the comment next to bring donuts that read ‘find out if they even like those. Maybe muffins cause I dislike donuts?’ like Jon was criticizing the book. </p><p>Tim poked his head in, “What’s funny?” then his eyes seemed to lock onto the book in Sasha’s hands. “Whaaat is that?” She held up the book so Tim could read it. </p><p>Tim suddenly couldn’t breathe. His laughter was far more than it had any right to be, but he knows without a doubt that it was Jon’s. He’d seen how Jon would use tabs when researching something. Jon didn’t use a notebook for notes until he had all the information, so any book he was in the middle of using would look like what Sasha held in her hands. </p><p>“He’s been - <em>Studying</em> how to boss???” Tim finally got out. That is so like Jon in Tim’s mind, and Sasha couldn't help feel a little spark of joy that Jon was trying. Sure she was minorly frustrated that Jon got the promotion, but this book spoke volumes. </p><p>Tim made grabby hands to Sasha. “Lemmie see that!” Once it was in Tim's hands, he started flipping through it. </p><p>“He musta been working on this through the night for last few days? It’s only been since Tuesday he’d known about the promotion. Plus with how detailed what he went over this morning, when did he sleep?” Tim let out a little whistle. He was impressed with Jon for trying.</p><p>The book was, well, terrible. It was one of those books that would have useless full blank pages just to make the page count increase rather than add any real information. Jon had left notes all over it, some voicing points he liked or thought were dumb. There was occasionally an eye drawn in some of the blank spaces of the more wordy pages. </p><p>Sasha’d been looking over Tim’s shoulder reading it with him. “Check this point out. ‘Make sure to give compliments and the beginning and end of each review session.’ and his note after it.” Sasha went into an official-sounding Jon sounding voice. <em>“Unrealistic. Compliments should be earned not given.</em>”</p><p>There was a small gasp from the doorway. Tim and Sasha looked up to find a mortified Jon holding an empty mug staring at them. Then down to the book. And he walked away without blinking or anything. </p><p> Tim hands it back to chase after Jon. “Boooss, I saw your notes. I like Blueberry muffins. If you get the mini ones, I can fit 5 in my mouth at once!” </p><p>Jon can be heard muffled but not actual words Sasha could pick out from the breakroom. She smiled and walked out holding it. “I’m more of a fan of cinnamon myself, if you are asking.” </p><p>Jon looked over, he looked like he wanted to die. </p><p>Tim was in his space, well as in Jon’s space as he knew was safely allowed by Jon. “Nothing to be embarrassed about, Boss. It’s probably only the worst most cursed self-help book-” Tim lost his straight face and chuckled as Jon stormed into his office. </p><p>“We all have work to do. We can. Ah, Talk later.” And the office door closed. </p><p>Tim leaned on  Martin’s desk grinning. “Check this out. Sasha, we gotta share your find with him!”</p><p>---</p><p>Jon was... He was expecting that. It went as planned. The worst book he could find, leaving it so he wouldn’t even need to act his terror when they discovered it. Causally leaving the book there like he had forgotten it over break. It was worse but perfect. Their grins, their joking. They had no idea they were trapped yet. This was just a paycheck for them at the moment. </p><p>Well, not exactly, since Tim still has his agenda. But basically. They feel safe here still. </p><p>Jon would keep it that way.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I picture Martin being more of a banana muffin guy, while Jon would probably go to town with chocolate chip; </p><p>Thank you for reading! Got some plot stuff on the menu for tomorrow so it'll be a bit longer &gt;:3c</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Haunted Rubber Duck Incident</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The three had found some statements marked with ‘completed research’ while Jon was having “allergies” before lunch. So Jon figured it was time to recreate the whole ‘real statements wont record digitally’ which meant Jon needed to record some fake statements for the real ones to be the anomalies. </p><p>
  <em>Click</em>
</p><p>Jon looked down at the small pile of fakes with the one real statement that had completed follow up to start recording. </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>“Statement of Clair Jones, regarding the haunting of the computer lab on campus. Original statement given April 7th, 2013. Audio recording by Jonathan Sims, Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute, London.</p>
  <p>“Statement begins.</p>
  <p>“I’ve never been one for believing in spooky things. It’s all gotta be fake. Least that was what I thought. It feels silly now-”</p>
</blockquote><p>The computer prompted a ‘recording error’ message. It was like when recording a real statement.</p><p>He looked at it baffled. Double-checking it again, it was the fake statement, something about a haunted rubber duck in a computer lab. </p><p>That can’t be right. Jon read over the statement in his head. Pure give away it was fake, but also he Knew it was a prank by some professors who moved the rubber duck around between hours.</p><p>Jon tried again. And the recording failed again. A little sooner this time.</p><p>Jon grabbed another fake one. This time something about a talking pizza? Clearly the statement giver was on something and he didn’t need to Know that, but Beholding let him know anyway.</p><p>Same error message.</p><p>He got up and peaked his head out. “Sasha, do you have a moment, something is going wrong with my computer while I’m trying to record. Mind taking a look?” </p><p>“Sure, what’s it doing?” Sasha made her way over. </p><p>“After about 30 seconds I’m getting an error message. See.”</p><p>“Weird. Lemmie try.”<br/> <br/>Jon handed her the fake, the duck one, and she tried to record it. Sasha recorded for about 2 minutes before she looked over to Jon, leaving the recording going. “Looks to be working now. Guess it was a fluke?” </p><p>“Seems so. Quite odd. Guess that's just how computers work sometimes. Try to get help with a bug and it decides to play nice.” Jon had a bit of a tired laugh to his voice, then the recording glitched. </p><p>“What the hell?” Sasha looked at it. “Spoke too soon.” The error message was a string of broken characters. </p><p>It only glitched after it started to pick up Jon voice. He felt his blood run cold. It couldn’t be <em>Him</em>, could it?</p><p>“Let me mess with it. You can use my computer if you want to. I know you wanted to get that stack out of the way and we don’t want you staying late like a workaholic.” She smiled at him knowing that he probably would anyway. If anything using the excuse of his getting here late. </p><p>“Quite. Thanks.” Jon grabbed the statements and went over to Sasha’s desk. How ironic there was a rubber duck in a bedsheet ghost costume next to a few other trinkets.  </p><p>
  <em>Click</em>
</p><p>Jon noticed the tape this time. It was recording because of course it was. Jon let out a bitter sigh and tried to record the first statement again. </p><p>He wasn’t surprised when the error message appeared this time. Jon slumped in Sasha’s chair with a groan.</p><p>“Having a hard time, boss?” Tim leaned over. “Looks like computers are boycotting you.”<br/> <br/>“I don’t even know what I’m surprised at this point…” Jon mumbled, bringing his head into his knees. </p><p>“Ooooh?” Jon couldn’t see Tim’s face, but from the sounds of it, Tim was about to blame something spooky. “Seems like the gods of the archive aren’t blessing our boss on this fine spring day. First dust attack, now computer problems. We should all have a week’s vacation. Its a sign.”</p><p>“Come off it, Tim.” Jon mumbled again, but with a bite to his voice. Sounded more like the Jon that Tim’d known upstairs and made Tim smile. </p><p>“What's this I hear about a vacation?” Sasha came outa the office. “It paid?”</p><p>“There isn’t any vacation.” Both Sasha and Tim responded with a ‘Boo’ as Jon continued. “Any luck? Your’s gave me the same error.”</p><p>“That’s. Hm...well didn’t give me any errors after you left. So not sure what that means?” Jon started uncurling as she spoke. </p><p>“I guess it means that we may need to have a different set up for recording. Since as Tim put it, I appear to be cursed. For now, why don’t the three of you test out this pile and see if any give an error message for you. I’ll look into other methods in the meantime”</p><p>“Boss, are you implying that there might be something Spoo-” The tone of Tim’s voice was flavored with joy.</p><p>“Don’t say spooky. It’s simply trying to figure out how to smooth out interrupted workflow.” He got up to give Sasha her spot back. He grabbed the recorder on habit.</p><p>“Gotcha. We’ll start up with these then.” Sasha started dividing the stack between her, Tim, and Martin as Jon went into his office and closed the door. </p><p>For the system to work even close to how it had before, Jon needed to be able to have the fakes digitized. If he was going to have to record the fake statements on tape as well, Jon was going to lose his mind. The thought of fake tapes touching his real ones, grossed him out. It felt wrong. If it came to that, he could probably spend a few nights separating the fakes and hiding them?</p><p>The tapes that recorded this incident though. They would file nicely. He smiled at them taken back by the flavor of fear they held. His own brand of fear recorded onto them. He’d always been watching, an observer to fear. Was this the first time he was the origin? Would this become a piece of a statement Sasha would tell later as the first sign that something was off with her boss?</p><p>The spark of Hunger faded just as fast as it appeared at the thought. Well, that was new. </p><p>Jon shook his head, like the thought would be dislodged from his mind. Now was not the time. He wasn’t going to deny his curiosity, as he knew where that train leads, but he wasn’t going to pursue it at the moment. He’ll have a Statement later tonight to fend off any edge of hunger, and calculate that thought into his work in progress feeding plans at home.</p><p>Right now, Jon had to figure out how to explain the logic behind his illogical tape recorders to his assistants while keeping the fake statements contained to a computer. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>All the comments from everyone have been so amazing! I'm so happy to hear people are enjoying this &gt;w&lt;) &lt;3 thank you all so much!!</p><p>What was originally chapter 1 before I broke it up is coming to a close with tomorrow's update. &gt;:3c</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. a wager</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Posting a tad bit early cause been having power outages off and on over the day. taking advantage of power on &gt;:3<br/>---<br/>Trigger warnings are in the end notes. Let me know if there is something else I should warn for.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everyone had taken off for the night and the archives were silent. Jon took the time to himself to have a snack before he headed home to work on his plan. Maybe afterwards he should stop by the store and get one of those corkboards and some string? Probably would leave red out of the mix for the irony? Jon smirked at that thought as he reached for the one real Statement that was leftover from the day. </p><p>Jon took a breath and a tape recorder turned on. </p><p>
  <em>Click</em>
</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>“Statement of Iris Sharp, regarding her encounter with the woman that wouldn’t blink. Original statement given May 4th, 2008. Audio recording by Jonathan Sims, The Archivist.</p>
  <p>“Statement begins.</p>
  <p>“I work as an assistant in a doctor’s office. What our doctors mostly specialize in isn’t really important. Heck, just me being here could probably get me fired for breaching personal privacy, but I just have to tell someone. I mention it to my coworkers and they think I’m crazy. They even made a little game out of it, to when she has an appointment to make sure I’m at check-in counter.</p>
  <p>“The woman is such a lovely lady, so I can’t blame them for being doubtful. And honestly it’s not even like she seems malevolent in her staring, but just, what kind of human doesn’t <em>Blink</em>…</p>
  <p>“I first noticed it when she came in for an appointment regarding something unrelated. She’d been a regular here for years before I got the job, but somehow I’d never met her till that day. She had lovely brown eyes, like a dark honey, so I let her know I was quite taken by them. She was pleasant about it, and we had a nice bit of small talk. She sat down to wait for her name to be called, and for the next 5 minutes or so, I felt this pressure on me, it was like-</p>
</blockquote><p>As Jon turned the page of the statement, he choked for a moment before continuing.</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>“Hello Jon. </p>
  <p>"Did you think you were the only one that was sent back? It’s a laughable oversight on your part. Then falling for the same method as last time, and on the second day no less. You really don’t learn. Though I suppose, it’s not the Archive’s job to do the learning. No. Just store. Just to record. </p>
  <p>"I’m assuming you won’t stop just like last time, and since you are still reading, I was right in that assumption that you came back fully awakened as well. Do you even want to stop, Jon? I’ll keep it quick as I know we both are eager to see if this works. I’m sure you are probably missing the connection just as much as me. No need to try and deny it as you read. You have always been a terrible liar, and we both Know.</p>
  <p>"To think you would actually remove your crown to pull off whatever this is. Undoing the world where we were thriving. Though I do suppose for one like yourself that maybe the fear was getting a bit stale. The other fears may have been getting a tad too repetitive. Maybe this is a gift from the Ceaseless Watcher to help create some freshness for you. It does favor its Archive after all.</p>
  <p>"Seems like Undoing would be a good way to shuffle about to make for new ways for them to be afraid when you don the crown again. Unlink them from the fears that kept them in one place, unable to change or make new reactions after their first. </p>
  <p>"Quite a curious thought there, isn’t it Jon? After all, you are more a fan of freshness aren’t you? After you felt everything, did you get bored? Hungry? I’m sure Martin was able to distract you from it for only so long after all. Not like you ever tried to tell the other Avatars to change up how they tortured their prey while you had those little friendship interactions. </p>
  <p>"If I recall, didn’t that happen with the statements the first time around? Where once you’ve taken in the fear, it no longer fulfills you. Not one for repeats.</p>
  <p>"I watched you on your way home last night. I could see looking at the people as you passed them. The ones with statements. Some of them even noticed you. Your eyes Seeing all that they were, but ultimately not worth the time to stop. Like picking up fruit at market and putting it back for it not being the one you were looking for. You probably hoped it was a sign you were more in tune with humanity, knowing how you used to crave that o-so long ago. </p>
  <p>"No. From my view, it looked more like lack of interest than self control. You are still the Archive and that Hunger followed you. Maybe soon as there are new encounters in this fresh timeline, you’ll have a suitable meal while out for walks. As a record of fear, that must sound amazing to you. There is no changing your nature. Not anymore, nor ever again.</p>
  <p>"Shall we try an experiment? Before wasting time repeating the steps before? Is a soul marked still powerful enough to enact the ritual? Does it need to be etched into your body like before? Shall we find out, Jon?</p>
  <p>
    <em>You who watch and know and understand none. You who listen and hear and will not comprehend. You who wait and wait and drink in all that is not yours by right.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Come to us in your wholeness.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Come to us in your perfection.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Bring all that is fear and all that is terror and all that is the awful dread that crawls and chokes and blinds and falls and twists and leaves and hides and weaves and burns and hunts and rips and leads and dies!</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Come to us.</em>
  </p>
  <p><em>I – OPEN – THE <strong>DOOR</strong>!</em>”</p>
</blockquote><p>The door that opened was the door to Jon’s office.</p><p>Elias walked into the room to see Jon on the ground, breathing heavily. “Pity. looks like the marks on your body are needed after all. Good thing for us that the ritual can be attempted much more frequently than the others. After all, being watched is such a common fear nowadays with all the cameras everywhere. Now, we just need a complete collection on the archive to be able to try again. Since it appears that the cover is just as important as the content.” </p><p>“I’ll...fucking kill you Jonah…” Jon gasped out, eyes glowing as his extras began to close around him. A few remained on the back of his hand were worm scars once occupied.</p><p>“Now Jon. Why do you pretend to fight this so? You know very well, probably more this time around that we are allies. We both Know that we want the same ending.”</p><p><br/>“Fuck off.” Jon was standing now, his voice full of static, staring at Elias right in the eyes. </p><p>“Is that necessary? Are you trying to, what did Martin call it- Oh yes, Are you tying to Smite me?” Elias said with a sigh and a while. “I’m sure it would be as effective as when you tried it in the past. You and I both live from feeling the fear. But if you must, remember that your precious -alive- assistants are still tied to me as they were before. ” Elias ran his hand over the recorder on the edge of the desk, before he pulled the tape out of it. He intends to dispose of this so that their ritual never is discovered past Jon and himself. </p><p>Jon’s stare into Elias doesn’t let up as static grew to fill the room, neither really fazed.</p><p>“So long as they remain tied to me, they will probably die with me.” Elias grinned his -I know something you don’t know- smile. ”Except you though. Your connection is to our God, not me. I can’t honestly even say for sure if my death would’ve affected you in the past. Isn’t that wonderful? You kill me, and you will be able to watch everyone that ever made you feel human again suffer at your hands. See what would even happen by severing those ties since neither of us ever found that one out. Aren’t you curious?” Elias started to laugh. “It would almost be worth dying to see the look on your face as you simply record the outcome with my blood on your hands. I say almost, as I don’t plan on letting you.” </p><p>Elias isn’t lying, both of them were never given the truth behind what cutting the ties would entail once -if-  Elias was killed. It angered them both for slightly different reasons. </p><p>After Elias waited a moment as he picked up the false statement to destroy as well. “Both of us have goals. You want to kill me, I want you marked. You have no way to kill me without maybe killing everyone around, and you won't be able to be marked the same ways as before so I’ll have to change up all my plans. After all, if the experiences aren’t fresh, they won’t be able to mark you properly.”</p><p>“So how about we make a bet Jon. We work towards our goals. I won't get in your way from finding a way to sever the ties and kill me if you must, though honestly, are either of us capable of dying at this point? While you do that, I’ll work on our ritual again. Pretty good terms since either way, you win.”</p><p>Jon cursed Elias under his breath. Not agreeing to the wager, but also nodded slightly as it could give him an edge if he didn’t need to worry about Elias getting in his way. That arrogant confidence of Elias’ might give him a bit of an advantage? Least Jon hoped.</p><p>“Good. In the meantime, you will need to continue to stop rituals like the Archivist you are. After all, we don’t want the other entities to learn what we Know. I’m sure if they tried it the same way, we might not end up on top.“</p><p>Elias didn’t wait for Jon to respond before he walked out of Jon’s office, closing the door behind him. </p><p>Jon fell to the ground with a frustrated sob as the static in the room started to fade. He was going to find a way to end Jonah and resist the end of the world, as the Archive in him hummed a tune Jon knew would be happy with either outcome in the end.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>TW: unsettling eye contact, Coercion / Abuse of power, Mortality, paranoia.<br/>Some text taken from episode160</p><p>---</p><p>Elias is an ass hat. I felt slimy trying to pull off his brand of evil. </p><p>As a side note, In the prologue I have it in my mind that he and jon hadn’t actually talked about anything yet, all the new position talk was going to come after the signing. But Jon was confused from just waking up and forgot the order of convos. Elias took that as quick proof that Jon had traveled with him to the past. Elias was also rather disoriented like Jon was. He is just a better liar than Jon. I didn’t want to make a chapter with that cause thought it would ruin the flow. </p><p>Expect some angst and fluff tomorrow.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Jon pets The Admiral</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trying something out with the format. Let me know if it's confusing or anything.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Convo between Georgie and Jonathan</strong>
</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 5:56 PM<br/>Hey, know it’s been a while. And last time I was kinda a jerk. I’m sorry and I’d like to apologize better than through text, But um are you busy right now? I kinda just need someone right now?</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 5:59 PM<br/>Never mind, sorry for that last text I’m just overthinking.</p>
  <p><strong>Georgie</strong> Today at 6:04 PM<br/>When has Mr. Jonathan Sims ever over thought something?? And you are fine to come over. I was putting off cooking, so you can be my valid reason to get takeout. Admiral sends an invite as well. </p>
</blockquote><p>[[photo attachment send of The Admiral curled adorably in his bed, staring into the camera with a paw stretched.]]</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Georgie</strong> Today at 6:07 PM<br/>Are you okay? Do you need me to meet you anywhere? </p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 6:09 PM<br/>I’m Okay. I’ll fill you in when I get there. I’m about 20 minutes away. If you want to order food it’s on me. Just get me whatever. Here is the card info.</p>
</blockquote><p>[photo attachment of credit card info]</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Georgie</strong> Today at 6:10 PM<br/>JONATHON SIMS Do realize how not safe it is to send your credit info like this! Also how hungry are you?</p>
</blockquote><p>Jon looked at his phone, wanting to say famished, but that was the wrong kind of hunger. He didn’t feel human hunger, but his body must still have the human habits still right? He should probably make sure to eat. Worse comes to worst, he enjoys the taste of food. When even was the last time he ate?</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 6:12 PM<br/>I’m not worried. It’s my work card. My employer can deal with it if anyone hacks our phones. Also mildly hungry, but feel free to go to town if you want leftovers. </p>
  <p><strong>Georgie</strong> Today at 6:50 PM<br/>food’s here, where you at?</p>
  <p><strong>Georgie</strong> Today at 7:10 PM <br/>I swear, if you are running away again I will show up at your flat with some choice words. <br/>Or I don’t know, I’ll send your coworkers pictures from uni.</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 7:12 PM<br/>Sorry. I’ll explain when I get there. Close </p>
</blockquote><p>[[Photo attachment of a street sign near her place]]</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Georgie</strong> Today at 7:12 PM<br/>Good. foods gunna be cold. </p>
</blockquote><p>---</p><p>There was a knock at Georgie’s door, and the Admiral seemed to race her to the door. She opened it to a very tired looking Jon. </p><p>“Hi George, it’s nice to see you again.” Jon raised a hand to wave, but before he could even wave, she had pulled him in.</p><p>“Come on, we can chat over food.” She booked it into the kitchen counter where there was a large variety of food set out. She smiled at him handing him a plate. “It’s good to see you too.”</p><p>The Admiral rubbed Jon’s leg with a purr. “It’s good to see you too, Sir. Pets after I get some food in me.” The cat let out a merow and left Jon be. </p><p>“Aw, it’s like he understood.” Georgie’s plate was full and she started to make her way to the couch in the other room. </p><p>Jon followed her example, but getting much less food. Little bit of everything though. </p><p>“So, wanna talk about it, or wait till after we eat.” She questioned as Jon sat next to her.</p><p>“I… hm now that I’m here, I’m not even sure where to begin.” Jon poked at his food. </p><p>“Well, you could start with why 20 minutes took near an hour, or with what happened that you were overthinking?”</p><p>“The late thing is a bit easier maybe? Time has been...hard for me recently. Which I guess links into the grander thing?” He took a deep breath like he was preparing for something big. “This is going to be really hard to say, and I know I’m going to miss all the key points on the first try, but please trust me when I say I really don’t want to get you involved, I just don’t know where else to turn, and I know I don’t deserve your help with this, but-”</p><p>“Jon, breathe.” She put her plate on the coffee table, and one hand on his. Giving him her full attention. “I’m here to listen to help you out. After you lay out the facts, I’ll decide if I want to get involved, and even if I don’t, I’m not going to kick you out. We will just watch something. Is that okay?” </p><p>Jon inhaled and nodded. “Okay. Um... So my boss wants to feed all of humanity to a fear god, and I was forced into his cult when accepting my job and am inadvertently helping him with his plans by just existing?” Jon winced at that last part like it was painful to say.</p><p>Georgie picked her plate up and started eating. They both waited for a moment before she finished her bite. “Go on?” </p><p>“You believe me with just that?” </p><p>“You remember what I do right?” she pointed to an award for her podcast that hung proudly on the wall. “I pass no judgment without proper facts.” </p><p>“Right. Okay, so I guess the best way to elaborate on this is supernatural entities exist in a very unfriendly way, and I got promoted to Head Archivist at the Magnus Institute, and it tied me to one of them. I was only promoted because I was terribly underqualified for the job, which my boss was planning on from the start. And well, I hate to admit it, but the plan was very well done, and he succeeded in feeding humanity to the fear gods, only something ended up happening and I undid it all. Then I woke up in his office signing the contract around 2 years before his plan succeeded?” Once again he paused to gauge Georgie. </p><p>“Hmmm. That a lot to take in, but okay. Seems like it’s pretty simple version. I’m assuming there is more?” </p><p>“How are you just accepting this? even I would think I was crazy if it were from the side effects of all this.” </p><p>“Well, It sounds a little too crazy to make up, plus I know you. And with the mentioning of side effects right now, I’m sure you’ve got some sort of proof?”</p><p>Jon nodded. “In the process of his plans, I became something not human? And whatever I did to fix everything, didn’t undo what I became. The first time around, I didn’t start to really see changes for another year or so yet. I guess the best proof is that I can make anyone answer questions, and Know things I shouldn’t.” </p><p>“Bet that would be handy to have as a reporter rather than an, archivist was it?“ Georgie continued after Jon nodded. “So what kinda proof you got that you can show me? Go ahead and ask me something or tell me something?”<br/> <br/>Jon paused for a moment. He could tell her about her encounter, but that sounds too personal, but then he could ask what he had the first time around, cause that convinced her. The thought of hearing a repeat answer didn’t seem to look all that appealing. Maybe a different question. “How about, <strong>What is one thing you would never willingly tell anyone about your show?</strong>“</p><p>“My first season finale, I'd exaggerated some of the findings to make it more interesting because I couldn't find a good enough topic for finale material. Oh god.” She covered her mouth slightly taken back.</p><p>Jon nodded looking a little guilty.</p><p>“Who woulda known Jonathon Sims, skeptic extraordinaire would become spooky.”</p><p>“Why spooky. There are so many other words, why must it be spooky???” Georgie grinned as the look of annoyance covered the guilt on his face. </p><p>“Sorry I don’t make the rules. How about we watch something and you can fill me in with more details. “ </p><p>“That sounds like it would be nice.”</p><p>Georgie clicked on her tv to find something for background noise. “So, you know all the spoilers Mr. time traveler?”</p><p>“Nope. Never watched much of anything.”</p><p>“Lame.”</p><p>The two of them watched some cooking thing, did a little bit more catching up about normal things in between him giving her a rundown of the fears, and apologized for knowing about her encounter. She wasn’t all the upset since it seemed like future her had trusted him with it, so she was cool with that. </p><p>After a few hours of talking passed, Geargie stretched a bit and got from the couch, leaving Jon and the Admiral behind. “Well, I think that was enough learning about how messed up reality is. You good hanging out with the fuzzy sir while I work on some editing? You are welcome to stay the night if you want to continue talking tomorrow, and maybe figuring out how we can make that boss of your’s regret living.” </p><p>“You are...just going to get involved? It’s dangerous, I shouldn’t have” </p><p>“No, Jon. Look. Obviously, I’m not going to go monster hunting with you or whatever you got to do, but I’m a friend, and honestly, kinda curious myself about this mess you got yourself into.” She flicked his forehead. “Trust me, I’ll bail first sign of it being too much. Till then, I’m here for you.” </p><p>“So tomorrow we are going to...?”</p><p>“Plot like villains in children’s cartoons. It’ll be fun.“</p><p>Jon sent a text message to his assistants that read: </p><p>“Sorry for the late night text, I’m not feeling great, so taking tomorrow off. Don’t bother coming in cause there will be nothing to do. I’ll make sure you are still paid.”</p><p>Then sent a message to Elias.</p><p>“Archives are going to be closed tomorrow. You will be paying us for it.”</p><p>Jon got a cat nuzzling him in the face after he put his phone down. The purrs lulled him to sleep within minutes. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>ended up editing this a bit from the original version before posting it &gt;&lt;) sorry if there are any weird errors or anything. had a hard time figuring out how to info dump in an interesting way. </p><p>Quick summary about what Georgie knows will be part of tomorrow's update. Was originally in this chapter, but feels a bit better moved, so I went for it x3</p><p>I'm so happy to hear how much everyone enjoyed the last chapter~ &gt;:3c I was very proud of tossing that twist in</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Plot like villains</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Small heads up, I’m in the danger zone for some of the fires going on in Oregon so updates might run a bit on the sporadic side for a week or so if things get dangerous. I’m safe but bags are packed cause no idea how long safe will be tbh. Also I might end up responding slowly to comments for a while but I read them all and geek out from each of them. You are all so wonderful!</p><p>ANYWAY Enjoy some light stuff cause I sure as hell needed it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Admiral didn’t leave Jon’s side the whole night. Georgie would check in on her boys when she needed a break from her editing. Occasional cracking a joke at Jon that would run along the lines of ‘oh, the take out not good enough for the fear monster?’ Which surprisingly got a laugh out of Jon, and even got him to eat a bit more, if only out of spite. It was later followed up with Jon mentioning that it was ‘fear monster approved’ and got a laugh from Georgie. </p><p>Back in her editing room, she posted a 5 star review quoting Jon’s approval. </p><p>In the morning, Jon awoke to a whiteboard with several columns. Georgie had a kitchen chair pulled up to it and kept adding things to the lists. </p><p>There were 4 lists with a 5th area that was just labeled ‘top-secret plans.’ Jon also absently noticed that anywhere there were eyes in portraits or the likes around the room has post-it notes covering the eyes. </p><p>The lists went like this: </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><span class="u">‘14(?) fear jerks’: </span><br/>
<strong>Web</strong>, rude controlling aunt<br/>
<strong>Eye</strong>, all creeps minus my boy<br/>
<strong>Slaughter</strong>, bloody war ravers <br/>
<strong>Hunt</strong>, do not play tag with <br/>
<strong>Flesh</strong>, meat nightmare <br/>
<strong>Vast</strong>, too much space <br/>
<strong>Buried</strong>, not enough space<br/>
<strong>Dark</strong>, the boogeyman's domain <br/>
<strong>Stranger</strong>, whose that? <br/>
<strong>Spiral</strong>, bad drug trip <br/>
<strong>End</strong>, know this one;<br/>
<strong>Corruption</strong>, ew worms and sick; <br/>
<strong>Desolation</strong>, mages who only use fireball<br/>
<strong>Lonely</strong>, depression, serious stuff.<br/>
<strong>Extinction</strong>, the shy new kid.  </p>
</blockquote><p>The insulting summaries brought a smile on Jon’s face.</p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Evil boss and evil work place:</strong><br/>
Can see through any eye (covering eyes makes harder for him to see?)<br/>
Treats your brain like a cd that isn’t marked as read only and proceeds to transfer files<br/>
Really just body hopping eyeballs?<br/>
Workplace makes you sign your existence for not enough pay<br/>
Bitchard wants to hurt Jon 14 more times.</p>
</blockquote><p>There was enough room under that to add more. </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><span class="u">Monstrous Jon facts:</span><br/>
Eats fear, but not people fearing<br/>
Paper fear is like snacks<br/>
Asking people is like real meal<br/>
Fear has flavor?<br/>
Spooky voice powers<br/>
Maybe more eyes down the line? <br/>
Hangs out in dreams<br/>
Might be unable to be killed? (don’t want to test this one tho)</p>
</blockquote><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><span class="u">Person Jon facts</span><br/>
Wants to save everyone<br/>
Undid the apocalypse <br/>
Has a crush on Martin<br/>
All old habits are back cause forgot how to person<br/>
Is a lefty now</p>
</blockquote><p><br/>
Jon walked over and crossed off ‘crush on martin’ only to be scolded by Georgie “no that one stays Mr.Sims. You adore him.” </p><p>“It’s not a crush. We were a couple. This is the past. He couldn’t possibly- Ow” </p><p>“Could you hand me that marker back? Also, that is why I put crush. Cause you gotta do the whole first date thing again. Also morning sleepy head. Clear dreams?” </p><p>“Yes actually.” Jon handed over his marker and went for the one she threw at him. “It’s weird. This is the first time I’ve slept that was clear. It was fairly, boring?” </p><p>“You would think that. So am I missing anything?“ The crush on martin now has the dot on Martin’s ‘i’ replaced with a heart. </p><p>“No, think that sums up what we talked about last night.”</p><p>“Good. Anything else I should add before we get to the best part?”</p><p>“Best part?” Jon sat down back on the couch, with a cat immediately took residence on his lap.</p><p>“Yeah, how we torture your boss to make him wish he hadn’t messed with you? I even got a sleep mask if you are worried he might be looking through my eyes.” </p><p>Jon smiled as the Admiral purred under his hand. “You should be okay without the mask while I’m in the room. He isn’t looking right now anyway.” </p><p>“Lovely. So I was thinking assault number 1 should be truly diabolical. Googly eyes. Anyplace where he might look through in the building. Make him view the world through those eyes if he wants to creepy spy on you all.” </p><p>Jon lost it. Picturing Elias trying to spy through googly eyes was almost like just sticking them on him directly. </p><p>“Yes. That sounds like a good plan 1. I could recruit help for that as well.”</p><p>“Wonderful. If not, I got friends that would enjoy a good ski mask infiltration for serious warfare.”</p><p>“If they would enjoy that, it would be nice to keep assistants from getting in trouble right away.” </p><p>“Good then. I’ll send the text summoning. How about we do set up Sunday night?”</p><p>Jon nodded, slightly wondering who she would be inviting, only to have the Beholding inform him of the list of people, Melanie and Sarah were both on that list. Oh right. Sarah.</p><p>Jon frowned a bit. “Maybe take Sarah off that list. It would be best to avoid her if you could from now on.”</p><p>Georgie looked a little concerned at that. “You didn’t just Know my contacts did you?”</p><p>Jon nodded, looking a little meek. </p><p>“Oh well. Thanks for the heads up with Sarah, she was a little odd...Oh gosh, she like-??” Georgie's eyes went to the list.</p><p>“The Stranger, yes. Think it was 5 years ago? Maybe 10? Time isn’t any easier...” </p><p>“Don’t worry about the time thing for now.” She added to the ‘person Jon facts’ about the time thing. “Also good practice round. Until you are ready to fill in your assistants about this, thats not normal interactions,” </p><p>“I know that. It just slipped.” </p><p>“Exactly. I’m not mad Jon, but from what you’ve told me, Sasha and Tim would jump on that right away. Martin would probably notice as well, but I’d guess he wouldn’t think much of it since he seems the most, less exposed to weird stuff, of the bunch?” </p><p>Jon nodded. </p><p>“Good. Now moving on to phase 2. You got any suggestions?” </p><p>Jon paused for a moment, the bit of guilt from seeing her contact list fading. “Hm… the better boss book I got-”</p><p>“You got a what?” </p><p>“Don’t worry about it. It was something I bought to help cover if I was too nice,” Georgie laughed at that. “The book mentioned to keep an eye out for employees that might be trying to earn your approval through gifts...what if he got mysterious odd gifts. Like nothing outright threatening, but just unsettling.”</p><p>“Ooh what if you did it fear themed threatening. Like sending a box of fake spiders, or bag of dirt!”</p><p>Jon tried to hold back a laugh. “That sounds amazing. Think a glitter bomb would be a good spiral. Helen would approve I’m sure.” </p><p>“That would be lovely! So phase 1 is goggly eye-pocalypse, leave a few days for that to calm down, then 14 days of fear-mas” </p><p>“Fear-mas?”</p><p>“Yeah, tis the season for gifts.” Georgie let out a hum.</p><p>“It’s March.” Jon smiled, he did quite like that name for it. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter: Googly eye-pocalypse &gt;:3c<br/>Thanks for reading and for all the comments!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. googly eye-pocalypse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With some plans set in motion with Georgie for Sunday night, Jon started to shift through some of his haphazard notes for being human with her till late Friday night. They both ended up agreeing that some things would be really easy to slip up on, mostly his eating habits and potentially that he’s gotten into the habit of rarely blinking, so probably better to tell his assistants before they figured things out. Georgie offered to help if Jon needed a back up when telling them, but he turned down the offer. If anything, interacting with Georgie’s friends would be a good test run of how well he could keep himself from slipping. </p><p>Georgie wasn’t at all taken back by Jon using his abilities, and was happy to help him test them a bit since he wasn’t all that sure what the lack of the apocalypse meant for the skills he’d become used to. It was key to know with the way that the plan set up as it relied on his less than human features. He wanted to jam the camera’s to keep them hidden, so he would be Seeing all of them so any camera’s he missed would still end up with the others being distorted. Plus if anything went wrong, he would be able to assist.. He Knew how Elias was able to mess with camera feeds but Jon wasn’t entirely sure how, since cameras didn’t work after he became the archive of doom. He and Georgie had tested it with one of her cameras and Jon seemed to figure out the trick. If he stared right into it, then it stopped recording. Only problem if the Stare was off, or got distracted, then the camera would work again. </p><p>And they also tested if he would just See what was happening in the room, and wherever his eyes were, the video stream would cause static. That was how they figured out he would need to have an eye on each camera, and each of the infiltrators. It didn’t seem like it would be a problem for him.</p><p>Georgie had offhandedly joked that any ghost hunter would kill for static like that in their feeds while looking at the footage. While Jon was just relieved it looked like only his Voice corrupted files, he could still be in videos to some extent. A very odd thought passed through his mind or how he could use that to cultivate a statement, but he let the thought pass, pinning it slightly on the Beholding. </p><p>On Saturday Georgie and Jon planned to meet up at the local craft place to stock up on the eyes, so in the meantime, Jon went on his way back to his apartment for the night.</p><p>Almost as soon as he had walked through the door, Jon took a stupidly long shower. He’d forgotten how great those were. Was also a little mortified that his last shower for this body of his was probably the Wednesday morning before he signed his existence to his patron. It’d been 3 days without showering. Its a wonder he remembered to change his clothes. He probably looked like a wreck, though Georgie had lent him her brush at least before he left. </p><p>Saturday came and went, with them meeting for lunch, and purchasing the eyes. They also grabbed some cloth gloves in case someone was worried about fingerprints. Jon was pretty sure no sectioned officer would be checking for prints due to a prank. </p><p>Step 1 of the plan was to meet at Georgie’s place with her friends for lunch, which was courtesy of the Institute card that Jon had approved. </p><p>Four people showed to assist them, and Jon was excited. They had small talk while eating, mostly talking about what they did, and why Jon was doing such a grand while petty prank on his place of work. Melanie wasn’t planning on making an episode, but some spooky photos would be fun for the instagram page. There was Jane who mostly helped Georgie with editing in a pinch. Mitch, who worked at a cafe nearby and was more friends with Jane than Georgie. And Jess who did a lot of spirit photography and would share their findings with ghost hunters if they found anything.</p><p>One of them, Jane, looked excited about the whole ordeal. “Pretty bold of you Jon, to just let a handful of strangers into your place of work in the dead of night. Not to put you off of it, but aren’t you worried about that?”</p><p>“Not really. My boss is a petty man, so he can have dozens and dozens of eyes watching him so he can know what it feels like to always be breathing down my neck.“ </p><p>Melanie cheered to that. “From what you’ve said, the prick earned it. And you are sure you don’t mind us filming?”</p><p>Jon had a bit of an amused smile to that, he doubted she would stop filming even if he told her not to. “Not at all. Any footage you get is yours and I’ll vouch for you if police come calling. Highly doubt the police would bother you over being granted permission to enter the building from an employee.” After the tests he ran with Georgie and cameras, he highly doubted that they would get any useful footage with him around. </p><p>It was odd how normal this it all felt, like breathing. Aware of his abilities, but not always actively thinking about it, able to control it when needed, but otherwise automatic. Back when he’d first gotten them, he was terrified, but now, it felt standard. Not like full-blown Avatar power trip, but like, how they were his skills. Terrible skills, and he was planning on using for a petty prank. It felt like that should worry him, but with how Georgie, and Martin before her, how they just saw past that and knew the person in him was still Jon. Maybe not human, but still a person. It was a kindness he felt he didn’t deserve, but here it was anyway. </p><p>“Alright, so here is the plan. Melanie and I will take care of the top floor cause she is a pro at picking locks and big boss bitchard locks his office and the main target room. I’ll be her backup in case something goes wrong. Jane and Mitch, you both will be in charge of the library, there are a lot of portraits in high places so make sure to spot each other. And Jess, you got the rest of the first floor to go to town on. Jon’s got the basement floors since it’s a bit of a maze and he knows it well. Any questions?” <br/>
 <br/>
“Are you sure that security won’t be around?“ It was Mitch who raised the question.</p><p>Jon nodded. “Yeah, There aren’t many security cameras around, and I got a friend helping with looping some footage while we’re there. The security guard is also pretty chill. I’ll distract her away from the entriance so you can get in, and she won’t be wandering from her station outside of that. The place weirds her out.” Jon both knew and Knew that about the lady on security from all the times he stayed late in the future. </p><p>They all looked pretty hyped for some good old pranking in a weird building. </p><p>Thus, soon as the sun set, they were on the tube, all equipped with bags of googly eyes and masks for once they were inside.</p><p>Something in Jon was buzzing, but he couldn’t quite figure out what it was. It was much like how he felt when a statement was calling to him, but not quite. It didn’t feel bad though, so he didn’t think much of it.</p><p>Soon as they went to the back door Jon had the key for, he began Watching everyone before they entered and he stared at the cameras. There was the buzzing feeling again. Was it coming from his eyes viewing people trying to be hidden? Some reason, the strongest of it came from where he Watched Melanie. He didn’t like what that could mean for her, especially since all the stuff she went through in his time. Jon decided to put that off for later as he approached the guard. </p><p>“Hey there Jenny, sorry to be a bother. I seem to have forgotten one set of my keys for the basement and I would really like to get some prep work done for tomorrow. Would you mind letting me in?”</p><p>“Trying to make up for Friday I see?” She laughed and grabbed her keys. “Glad to see you are doing better. Elias has mentioned that the whole Archive crew came down with something. “</p><p>“Yeah, seems it was something pretty light since I’m feeling loads better after some rest. Least how it went for me. I hope the others will be-” Jon continued with the small talk while the other 5 that were with him hurried into the building to do the deed.</p><p>The plan was executed without trouble. The place looked terrifyingly overrun with googly eyes after about an hour. Georgie and Melanie put the eyes on everything they could in Elias’s office. Georgie was most proud of the eyes on his ink well, while Melanie took a point to have eyes on every single coat hanger, and on the underside of his desk, and all the cabinet drawers. Those ones she was hoping that he wouldn’t notice, so any time he opened one while there was a visitor sitting, the visitor would see it and Elias would be none the wiser to what his guest would be seeing. She worked at finding a few more hidden spots, and even let herself into some cabinets to see where she could hide some. By the time she closed them, every cassette in the drawer would stare up at Elias next time he opened to grab for one.</p><p>Jess had run out of eyes to cover, so they proceeded to give eyes to computers, all the items in the fridge and snacks around. Chairs, pencils, mugs, nothing was safe from the extra eyes. </p><p>Jon took a bit more of an overzealous approach with artifact storage and skipped over his archives. There wasn’t anything in artifact storage that could hurt him, he realized while he walked through. He Knew everything that was here, and Saw every way to avoid any negative effects they might have. He was careful to not put the eyes on anything that might hurt any of the people that would have to remove them. It felt amazing to put the eyes on one of the items that Jonah had donated waaaay back when he was still in his own body. Jon almost hoped that Elias could see him do it, but Elias couldn’t look at him, as much as he couldn’t look at Elias. </p><p>Jon spent the rest of the time watching everyone from his office. It was no wonder Elias was always watching. If this was the sole way that he feed their patron, or the main way, it would need to be a near 24/7 effort. It did seem similar to statement reading, but the fulfillment stopped as soon as Jon stopped watching. He couldn’t help but laugh as this fact made Elias seem more and more of a weak link for the Beholding. Jonah really only had his schemes to offer. It eased something in Jon, though he couldn’t pinpoint it. Was it the irony that Jon was tricked into thinking Jonah was the strong one?</p><p>The text came that they were all ready to head out, so Jon returned to the security guard to have her lock up after him, giving the crew the time needed to make their escape. </p><p>They met back up about a block away to share their favorite eye locations and photos. Which was when the joy and terror sparked in the crew. In all the photos with one of them in it, there was a slightly glitched green object glowing behind or around them. Looking right over their shoulder. Melanie wanted to go back. Get more footage, maybe even try to record it now that she knew what to look for. </p><p>Jess looked like they were about to faint as the object was in one of the selfies they took with a chair, right behind them. Mitch and Jane were both taking pictures of themselves to make sure that whatever it was, didn’t follow them. Jon couldn’t help but stare watching their reactions to the fear he created. <em>Oh that was delicious</em>. He didn’t even need to ask them for their statements as he was Witnessing it. </p><p>Georgie elbowed Jon in the side and he snapped out of it. She pointed to her eyes then to him in a very subtle way. He must’ve been staring too hard, and they were probably going to have a talk later if he understood her intentions. He didn’t want to Know though, so he didn’t. Jon forces a blink as Georgie went to her friends to distract them from noticing Jon.  </p><p>“Thank a bunch for your help guys. Those photos are gunna be wild for your pages.”</p><p>“Are you kidding me? I can’t post this. It looks terribly photoshopped even if real, we all know this is real right? Right?” Jess stayed frozen on their selfie photo. It was so close to them, it made their skin crawl.</p><p>“Yup. I would say that checks out as real to me.” Jon joined the conversation now that he was out of his daze. </p><p>“Freaky. I would hate to work there. Are you going to be okay now that you know there is something like this??” Jess looked back at Jon. </p><p>“I don’t hate it there, I just hate what’s there.” </p><p>“Wow, that's not cryptic at all.” Mitch laughed. “Let’s put all this spooky stuff behind us a hit up a pub.”</p><p>“Dude, it’s Sunday, some of us have day jobs.” Jane punched him, but didn’t appear to stop him from leading the way. </p><p>Jess fell behind a bit, and took a picture of the group to help ease their mind they weren’t being followed since they couldn’t quite shake the feeling the group brought something out with them. As soon as the photo saved, the green objects that were in the institute, they all hovered around Jon, and in this picture, they were all clearly eyes, no static at all. All eyes were looking directly at Jess through the screen. Then the file was corrupted almost immediately and caused the camera app to crash. </p><p>“Jess, you okay?” Melanie looked back at them. </p><p>“I- there were- the picture?” They shook their head. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. But um, Jon, I think you should quit your job before something terrible happens. That place isn’t normal.” Jess took a deep breath. “Now I don’t know about you all, but I need to get wasted. I’m calling off tomorrow” <br/>
 <br/>
--</p><p>That night Jess was in Jon’s dreams.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i didn’t intend to make this spooky, but it kinda happened, oops. The opportunity was too good for feral Jon to make an appearance. </p><p>Let me know if I should tw for anything, I don't think there was anything too much, buut Jon was being a little weird so not sure if that would count as too much or not.</p><p>Still safe for now from the fires, whole lota smoke tho. </p><p>Thanks for reading and all the comments and well wishes~</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Morning stare off</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Magnus Institute was buzzing when Martin got into work. The front door had a sign that read, “we apologize for any inconveniences, but the Institute is closed off to non-employees until tomorrow. To reschedule any appointments please call xxx-xxx-xxxx. Thanks for your patience. We should be open for our normal hours tomorrow.”</p><p>There were googly eyes everywhere, and the atmosphere was a mix of joy and anguish, depending on who one would ask. Martin was on the confused side for sure, but some of them were in cute places. There was a very expressive stapler on the front desk, </p><p>The eyes only seemed to increase as Martin made his way to the basement, then they suddenly stopped. At first he thought that would make sense since the only people with keys to the basement were Elias, the security team, artifact team, and Jon. So whoever had placed the eyes around, wouldn’t have been able to get to his area. That thought ceased as soon as he heard laughter coming from Artifact Storage. </p><p>Martin pokes his head in to see two of the artifact staff joking around with what looked to be an unsettling rock with two different sized eyes. Majority of the other items were in a similar shape from what he could tell at a glance. None of them had matching sizes, and some objects had more than 2 eyes.</p><p>Martin continued to the archives, curious and excited to see the state of it since apparently whoever did this had access to the basement levels?</p><p>He was both disappointed and excited to see Sasha currently putting some eyes on her work station. “Morning Martin. Want some eyes?” She held out a baggy of eyes. </p><p>“Morning, but what?”</p><p>“Boss brought us the extra eyes. He told us to fancy up our space before Double Boss came down.” Tim’s desk looked like a googly eye war zone. “Something about him not wanting to invade our space?”</p><p>Martin looked even more baffled. “Wait, Jon? This was Jon’s doing?”</p><p>Sasha nodded cheerfully. “Yup, I guess he and some friends got drunk and hit up a craft store? He’s in his office with a hangover.”</p><p>“He is trying to play it off like it wasn’t him, though. I guess Double Boss isn’t happy about the state of things. So Sasha and I were planning on playing oblivious. “</p><p>“Gotta say, Jon,” Sasha turned her head to Jon’s open office door. “Never expected you to abuse your key privilege not even a week after promotion.”</p><p>There was a groan from Jon’s office in response. Jon was still proud of the eyes, and hiding it from Elias wasn’t a goal since they both knew it was him. The groan was very much from the hangover. He didn’t even think he could get one of those anymore, but sure enough, here he was. Plus there was now the thing with Jess Jon didn’t want to or know how to address yet. He would have to talk to Georgie about what next, and figure out a way to make it up to Jess. It wasn’t a pleasant dream for a Photographer to have. </p><p>Was it cause they were a photographer that it had been so easy to mark them? God, Jon realized he Marked them. Like the full-blown Avatar he was. Time to revise his meal plans <em>again</em>. This would be harder to catch since he didn’t even notice he’d been creating a statement about him and collecting it until he found the tape recorder in his pocket later that night. It was like all the times wandering into other Fear's territories in the future. Except he didn't need to describe the experience cause he could actively watch it happening. Jon was determined to figure out all the rules his body followed before telling his assistants about the Fear stuff. Jon didn’t want to pull any surprises on them after explaining to them. </p><p>Martin placed a mug of tea down in front of Jon, startling him out of his train of thought. The mug stared back at Jon. “Christ, M-Martin!”</p><p>“S-sorry Jon, I thought you heard me come in.”</p><p>“No, no it’s alright. Head isn’t all there right now.”</p><p>“So I heard. Though some tea might perk you up? Lovely job with all the eyes?”</p><p>Jon let out a snort of laughter, and Martin felt a butterfly in his heart.</p><p>“Thank you. Some friends took over the top floors, while I went to town in Artifact Storage. I’m rather proud of my work.” </p><p>“None of the eyes matched, Jon.” Martin said with a little bit of a dry tone, if only to keep himself from sputtering out something dumb. Jon’s face was beaming and so gorgeous. </p><p>“Unsettling eyes, for an unsettling place. Seemed fitting. By the way, thank you for the tea, Martin.” The way Jon said Martin’s name.</p><p>“Y-yeah don’t mention it. Ah, I’m going to go now. To my desk, to ah, help camouflage like Tim and Sasha.” </p><p>Jon nodded with a smile to Martin as he booked it out of the office. Tim could be heard whispering something teasingly at Martin, only to Martin return with a sharp sounding comment. </p><p>--</p><p>Meanwhile upstairs, Elias was furious. If he watched, all the jiggling of the googly eyes made him dizzy, and if he stopped watching, the Hunger was torturous. Far more than it had ever been before in the past. Sure he could watch outside of the Institute but it was the easiest place to passively watch. Anywhere else he would need to focus, but that would interfere with his work. </p><p>He called Rosie to send Jon up to his office immediately. </p><p>Surprisingly, Jon actually came up and closed the door behind him. </p><p>“Wow, Jonah, you look like shit. Having a hard time Focusing?” Jon sounded miserable from the hangover, but also like he was having far too much fun. “What can I do for you?”</p><p>Elias Stared at him which was returned by Jon. “What were you planning to accomplish by making me angry.” </p><p>“Honestly, nothing?” Jon felt great saying that. “There was nothing for me to accomplish by doing this. No twisted plan, no goal. Just thought I would add more eyes to help you out since you only seem to feed by viewing others from afar.” </p><p>“I don’t appreciate the sarcasm Jon.” </p><p>“Too bad.” Jon finally ended up sitting down in the chair across from Elias’s desk. “I’ve been thinking about our bet. It was a little quickly made, so I want to make sure we are clear on details.” </p><p>Elias didn’t say anything and looked at Jon to continue. </p><p>“Well, you want me to continue to stop rituals, but I don’t have the same resource pool as Gertrude did. Most of what she used hadn’t fallen victim to inflation yet and Money is a thing again. So I’m going to need more of it to keep the other Avatars from figuring things out.” </p><p>“Are you telling me you want a raise?”</p><p>“No. Not at all.” Jon reached into his pocket and pulled out the company card he was given on the first day. “What I’m saying is I need 3 more of these with Martin, Sasha, and Tim’s names on them.” </p><p>“And you think I will just give everyone access like that?”</p><p>“Would be nice if you did, but no. I didn’t think it would be that easy. I feel like I can be persuasive if you need convincing.”</p><p>“I’m sorry Jon. This isn’t a negotiation. The terms are that we will not interfere with each other's goals, while hiding the truth behind our ritual using deception. That didn’t include endless access to the company bank.”</p><p>Jon paused then stopped Staring and got up from the chair. “Well, that's a shame. Guess that is everything for now.  I’d best be off then. Got quite a bit of work to get my Archives in order. Was a nice chat I guess.”</p><p>Jon stopped in the doorway. “Oh. I noticed that the time off wasn’t approved for Friday yet and my admin privileges don’t appear to be active yet, or I would do it myself. Should I talk to Rosie about it since you don’t seem to be in the right headspace?”</p><p>“Ask Rosie to help you with that.” Elias looked like he had all the fight taken out of him. Something about the way Jon stopped looking at him was unsettling. Like there was something unspoken that Elias needed to Know, but he couldn’t seem to Know it. Nothing came. No details were provided by the Ceaseless Watcher for him. Was it a side effect of the googly eyes, or was there a powershift that Elias had missed?</p><p>Jon nodded and closed the door behind him. He got out his phone and sent a text to Georgie that read ‘Fear-mas is now a mission rather than a prank. You free for dinner any time this week for details?’</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>little bit of Martin pining. I love him so much &gt;w&lt;) </p><p>hope you enjoy the hints of paranoia Elias is getting. Jon wants him to be afraid &gt;:3c</p><p>Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. 14 days of fear-mas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this was so satisfying to write. </p><p>no trigger warnings, the end notes contain a bunch of extra tidbits that I didn't make it in the chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“How come you are so willing to help me out with all this Georgie?” </p><p>“You’re my friend?” She looked at Jon like it was a stupid question and continued to work on the list of things that would be needed to be ordered to pull off the 14 days of pranks without missing a day if collecting items was hard or an order was late. They ultimately decided they would send the packages to his flat rather than the office, so there wouldn’t be a break on weekends. </p><p>“But, I’m-” Jon had taken the time to tell Georgie about Jess. Which Georgie wasn’t happy about, but at least he didn’t try to hide it from her. Georgie also hadn't scolded him about it, it was concern for him that she ended up expressing, which Jon still didn't quite get. She’d promised to talk to Jess about it before Jon could go around acting all guilty about it to Jess’s face. “Last time, you left when it got bad. I was prepared for-”</p><p>“No, you don’t get to pull that. We <em>are</em> good. You also told me that before- eventually?- whatever. You know what I mean. You told me I made my choice to leave when things got dangerous. That is enough for me to trust that you are not dangerous. I know I can trust my logic will stand by me if things get out of control. Right not is not that time so stop it. We got 14 days of misery to deliver. I was thinking for the stranger day, a box of those screaming chickens. We pack them compressed, so when he opens it, there will be a chorus of screaming chickens. Maybe glue on some of those little baby hands on their feet to get the message across that they are unsettling creatures?” </p><p>Jon started laughing, both from the relief of how quickly she changed beats not letting him have a say in the matter and talking about the nightmare chicken choir. </p><p>“That sounds pretty good. Think 12 is a good number of them? We could send them on the 12th day since we wouldn’t have to worry about them expiring or getting too gross.” </p><p>“Probably. Still think we should let the corruption mess be the last one so it has time to get super gross.”</p><p>“No, neither of us want that in our flats. And I can’t keep it at work.”</p><p>“Party pooper.”</p><p>Jon sighed deeply. </p><p>“Okay so that just leaves planing for-” Georgie continued the planning with Jon well into the night, making sure to have a shopping list of everything they would need to pick up from the store or get online. </p><p>--</p><p>It’d been about a month since Jon and Elias had returned to the past. Elias had checked with a few other Avatars to see if anyone else had memories of the grand world he had created with the ritual. None of them remembered though a few had a sense of complete fullness for just a moment in time before it faded. </p><p>It was worrisome, but none had figured out what had happened so Elias wasn’t going to dwell. Not even others in the other Beholding branches had any idea either. It was just the two of them, and that delighted Elias. </p><p>The month had gone smoothly after the googly eye incident. There were still some of the eyes around, either because they were hidden well, or because some of his employees thought they were cute and kept them around on their desk. He’d simply learned their locations to avoid them. </p><p>The Archives and Artifact Storage still had the most of them. Artifact Storage probably kept them for fear of activating any negative effects, while he was sure the archives kept them to drive him nuts. Jon hadn’t filled them in it seamed, so he couldn’t fathom what would cause them to keep the eyes. Also how it seemed to not affect Jon at all was a curious side effect. </p><p>It was a Saturday afternoon when the first package arrived. It was addressed to Jonah Magnus and contained a rather nice cut of steak, that Elias didn’t remember ordering. And if he had, there was no way he would use his name. There wasn’t a return address, and something stopped him just Knowing. That didn’t please him. Not Knowing where it came from, he proceeded to invite Peter Lukas over for dinner. Peter was the one that got the mystery stake. </p><p>If Lukas ended up dying from it, that would be a bit of a shame, but he was too curious about if there was something wrong with the steak or not, that well, it was a price worth it. Wouldn’t be the first sacrifice for his curiosity. </p><p>Sunday there was a tiny box with two boxes of blood worms. Same pattern. Addressed to Jonah Magnus, no return address, and he didn’t Know were it came from.</p><p>Monday night after work, there was a box waiting for him. I’d been delivered during the day. It contained three boxes of matches. </p><p>Tuesday’s package was odd. I had a wolf plush in it, but it had 4 mouths altered onto it. Elias was starting to feel like Jon was getting a bit too predictable. </p><p>So, Wednesday Elias didn’t return home, but instead opted to get a hotel for the night. Elias was grinning all night thinking how frustrated Jon must be. Jon probably hadn’t prepared for Elias to spend the night in a hotel to avoid a minor annoyance. He wished he could see Jon’s lament, but trying to see one another didn’t work anymore. He would just have to make a trip to the Archive in the morning. </p><p>Thursday there was a package on his desk addressed to Jonah Magnus when Elias got in. When he’d asked Rosie about why she had placed it on his desk, she said it seemed like whoever sent it probably wanted to send it the head of the institute. Probably something that would belong in artifact storage, but she thought Elias should check it out first.</p><p>It sat on his desk for a majority of the day, until curiosity got the better of him. There was an explosion of color and glitter that went everywhere. Inside there was a letter that said ‘it wouldn’t have been in your office if you would’ve gone home yesterday’</p><p>Elias was livid until something wrong caught his eye. The mail was postmarked from Tuesday. It was mailed Saturday? How would Jon have known that Elias would’ve gotten a hotel Wednesday night if he mailed it so many days ago? How had he even?</p><p>Returning home, Elias found the package from Wednesday that contained 5 bags of googly eyes. He threw them into the trash out of rage.</p><p>Friday there was a package filled with dirt. Elias spent the night awake debating how he was going to spend the weekend. He first thought about getting a hotel, but if packages were sent to the hotel like it had been to the office, Elias was certain that information would destabilize his connection to his patron. Which he found odd, cause he Knew that, it wasn’t speculation. He couldn’t understand it though. Why would the Ceaseless Watcher want him to not know something like that? Could it be since Jon knew it, the Beholding didn’t need the new information and the repeat would cause frustration? Because it wasn’t a mystery for Elias to solve? All the uncertainties agitated Elias, so he opted to say home. </p><p>Saturday’s package was empty. Nothing inside. Somehow that made him angrier than if there was something in it. </p><p>Sunday’s was equally frustrating. It contained 9 butter knives. The fact it was an odd amount of knives caused a rage that Elias couldn’t do anything with. He ended up calling Lukas to rant cause who the hell would send an odd amount of cutlery in a set. </p><p>Monday again, and day 10 of this onslaught of packages was a box with the inside painted with that shade of black called blackest black. The kind that absorbs all light. </p><p>Elias was starting to think that Jon had run out of ideas when he got another empty box with the inside painted in a gradient of sky colors with a slip of paper that said ‘Do you love the colour of the sky?’ until the following day when the box opened with a chorus of screaming chickens with baby hands. </p><p>Thursday, Day 13. Elias was tired of it. He ended up throwing that box away without even looking at it. The next morning, he could’ve sworn there were cobwebs in the corner of his room that hadn’t been there the night before. </p><p>Friday came, day 14 and Elias looked tired. There was no package this day, but an envelope without a stamp that simply had Elias’s name on it rather than Jonah Magnus that had been on all the others. He opened it, and inside there was a letter that said ‘<em>in the end, I get what I want.</em>’ and behind it was receipts from all the items that were sent to Elias the past two weeks. </p><p>--</p><p>It had taken quite a bit of work and a few calls on Georgie’s part to be able to coordinate the paranoia Jon was aiming for with Fear-mas. Two of each package sent to both locations, with the ones sent to the Institute simply sent to ‘Jon’ to arrive the day before it would be needed. All the office packages contained a letter of remorse Elias wasn’t home yesterday to receive the package, and if Jon could see that Elias hadn’t retrieved the package from the day before, Jon completed ‘Jon’ to ‘Jonah Magnus’ and placed it on Rosie’s desk to deliver to Elias. </p><p>That had been Georgie’s idea since the two names were so similar, Jon wasn't that good at manipulation. That way the packages would get delivered to Jon without risk of landing with Elias a day earlier than it was needed. Oddly enough Jon was the only 'Jon' that worked there. He'd been rather happy it had been the glitter bomb that was delivered to the office ultimately, but any of them would’ve done nicely.  </p><p>The key to the whole operation was that the End package only receipts if only one set of packages were ever purchased and sent. After knowing which items were delivered were, he put in the item receipts and the cost to ship them. That one he figured wouldn't need the postmark and he could just leave it where it needed to be. It was extremely worth it to see Elias storm into his office holding the Gift of the End. Elias was radiating with paranoia from not being able to See how Jon had done it and Jon could taste it. He wasn't sure what he would do with the confirmation that he did enjoy the fear he created a tad more than the fear that he observed. He was partially hoping it was because this was new unrecorded fear rather than cause it was something he made, but he highly doubted it. Helen did tell him about how Micheal and the spiral before him had liked longer projects of fear.</p><p>It also mildly confirmed that Elias didn’t know about Georgie at all or Elias would’ve been able to see the plan. Jon would have to fill her in about that.</p><p>Jon didn’t get the cards he was hoping for the others to have, but the archives budget was increased and Jon was granted access to reimbursing his own expenses as long as they fit in the budget. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>if anything wasn't clear in how Jon pulled this off, let me know and I'll add details cause I'm quite proud of it myself. </p><p>Extra tidbits:</p><p>-So the funniest thing for me that I couldn’t figure out how to explain fluidly in the chapter was that the reason that there were 9 butter knives, was cause they bought a pack of 18. 9 went to office and 9 went to institute. </p><p>-The letter in the weekend boxes were also slightly different and far more threatening than the weekday letters, with saturdays saying “you weren’t home, so figured it’d be here monday for you”<br/>And sunday said “running away? You scared?”<br/>Jon was bummed he couldn't leave those on Elias's desk, but was probably better in the end. </p><p>-I kinda don’t see Jon being much for xmas but the 14 day of xmas was too hard for either of them to resist. </p><p>-Had a funny thought while rereading to make sure it all flowed right, it’s a good thing Jon can’t mark people with other entities, otherwise, Jonah had just been traumatized by all 14 x’DD </p><p>Thanks for all the comments!! they've been giving me life these past few days with everything going crazy around me with the fires and smoke.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Jon’s been banned from calling himself a monster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tim watched Elias leave Jon’s office with a rather defeated air about him. Jon emerged once Elias was gone, grinning from the office doorway. “Boss, what was that about?”</p><p>“I got us a bigger operating budget using an intimation method that a friend helped me execute on Elias over the last 14 days. Needed a bigger budget so we can annoy some fear gods.” Jon said this all without hesitating at all. Today was planned to be the day he was going to fill them all in about the fears and himself. The increased budget ultimately works as a very good segway into that conversation. “Elias forgot to mention it when he promoted us.” Jon tacked onto his statement as he noticed the other’s eyes widen. </p><p>“You’re joking.” Martin didn’t think Jon was joking, but that what he was saying was real didn’t seem to track right either. Sure things were weird, but what? </p><p>Sasha and Tim both seemed a little more cautious, less doubt in their eyes that Martin had. The both of them had seen things through their lives.</p><p>“So…” Jon looked away before looking back like he was taking a sec to process. “I had planned to fill you all in, but honestly I’m not all that sure how to start the explanation. But this isn’t a joke Martin. I wish it was and I’m terribly sorry for getting you all involved with this. If I’d known all this before transferring here I would’ve, well, what I would’ve done doesn’t change that we are here now.” </p><p>“I’m guessing these fear gods have something to do with the horrors in the statements we investigate?” Sasha looked like she was connecting some dots in her brain while she spoke. Jon nodded. </p><p>“Yeah, want to move to the break room? This is long, and you’d probably want to be comfy for it.” </p><p>Jon started walking to lead them, hoping they would follow. They did, rather quietly. </p><p>--</p><p>Jon explained to them the core of what Gertrude did with ritual bashing, basics about the fears, about what the statements really recorded in the real cases of them. He left out that he and Elias were from the future though, and the information about the end of the world. It wasn’t that he didn’t want them to know, it was just too hard for him. He couldn’t tell Sasha and Tim they didn’t live to see the end of the world. </p><p>“There aren’t actually any rituals in the near future, the nearest is probably about 6 months from now, and I’ve got an idea of what to keep an eye out for with that one. Also how to stop it without endangering anyone. Which I can tell you about it later since what we do work-wise won’t change. Feel like I’m overloading you all, but there is one more major thing I need to tell you about this place. Do you have any questions before I switch topics?”</p><p>“Too many, boss, but nothing I can put into words, so go on.” Tim was stuck on the comments about the Stranger, which Jon expected. </p><p>“Alright, so worst part now. Elias basically used paperwork to force all four of us into a near unbreakable bond with the entity known commonly as The Ceaseless Watcher, the Beholding, or the Eye.”</p><p>Martin nodded, but Tim was quick to ask. “What do you mean, near unbreakable bond?”</p><p>“Hmm. So basically, aligning with any of the 14 fears can vary from fear to fear, and um, once a fear has you, it doesn’t like to let go... How to put this well, to align with the Beholding, its kinda just agreeing to watch and observe the other fears. To Know all the other fears? Sound familiar?” There was a slight bite to Jon’s voice at that, mostly at himself.</p><p>“So, when we signed our contracts...we Aligned ourselves with it.” Sasha finished Jon’s point, almost in a hesitant revelation rather than a question. “And it doesn’t want to let us go now.”</p><p>Jon nodded. He’d proofed this explanation with Georgie after a few trials to try to word it in a better way than just saying they can’t quit. Goal was to make them angry at being tricked, rather than feeling trapped. </p><p>That was the goal.</p><p>From the looks on their faces, it didn’t go as smoothly as he’d hoped but not as bad as it had gone the first time. Tim still looked pissed but wasn’t yelling. Martin looked like he was gunna faint. Sasha looked rather calm, but Jon accidentally Knew she was just as angry as Tim. She was just really good at keeping calm under pressure. </p><p>“Right.” Jon finally said to break the silence, thinking he shouldn’t let Tim be the one to do it. “There are ways to break free from it, but it’s rather drastic. There are only 2 known ways to do it. The first is to be blinded. Can’t observe if the Eye can’t watch it happen.”</p><p>They all cringed, Jon included.</p><p>“The other way, is if I die, all three of you will be free.” There was a lot less guilt in his voice than Jon expected there to be. “Your contract is filtered through mine, so when mine is voided by death, yours are as well. And I’m unable to quit, making the contracts essentially unbreakable for you all as well. Burning the written contract doesn’t negate the terms either.”</p><p>“Thats fucked.” The anger in Tim’s face shifted to exhaustion. </p><p>“Terribly so.” Jon agreed. </p><p>“Why you though?” Sasha’s eyes looked sharply at him. She was sure there was more to it than that, but just didn’t know enough to figure it out. She really would’ve been a wonderful Archivist.</p><p>“Because I’m the Archivist. With the entities, those who are connected closer than others are given gifts of their patron’s aspect for their service. The main things I got were access to an ocean of Knowledge and I can make people answer any question I ask. There are a few other things, but they more complicated so I ended up making a word document to cover everything. The good and the bad cause I know I wouldn’t word it clearly on the spot.” </p><p>That was hard to say, but he’d promised Georgie he wouldn’t address himself as a monster to them in the introduction of the dread powers. She had put it something along the lines of not all every non-human creature was a monster. She used the Admiral to prove the point of a good non-human creature that was human-like. “If I would’ve wanted them or not, I didn’t get much of a say in the matter. Elias initiated the first step for me to receive them. Before I realized, it was too late to turn back. You all are safe from the effects. It’s just me...” </p><p>Jon looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes before continuing. Here goes nothing. </p><p>“Because I noticed too late, I kind of rely on serving the Beholding like a plant relies on the sun. Except I won’t die from being cut off from it. I would just lose myself to an insatiable hunger to consume statements.” </p><p>“Jon. What does that mean? It’s only been about a month and until today, you’ve been a terrible skeptic. How could this suddenly happen?” Sasha’s voice was hesitant, but she was worried. Worried for him. </p><p>“I was, deflecting behind playing skeptic. I didn’t want to worry you all until I got things sorted out in my head. There is so much to sort through.” That last part Jon said with a bit of a laugh, like it was an inside joke only he knew.</p><p>Martin cut in as the information settled in his mind. “No, no no no. This is, you can’t be…”</p><p>“Martin…” There Jon was saying Martin’s name so softly. </p><p>“No. Don’t do that. Don’t...” Martin wanted to tell Jon to stop saying his name like that. “This is crazy, how can Elias just rope us into all this?!”</p><p>Jon sighed. “Elias is a prick.”</p><p>“What if we stop working? Will it hurt you or Elias cause of the whole connection thing?” Tim looked like he was ready to fight. </p><p>“You actually. After about a week of being away, you’re immune system will tank, and a week after, making it back on your own will start to get harder.”</p><p>“And you Know this cause an Evil Eye gave you access to strain pool?”</p><p>“Yup. If you still want to take a week off, I’m happy to approve the time off. It’s a lot to take in.” </p><p>“What about you? What happens if you aren’t around?” Sasha knew that Gertrude would be gone for months. </p><p>“I don’t have to be here. It’s the most comfortable place for me, but I as long as I have access to statements, I can be anywhere.” Jon paused for a moment as a thought ran through his head. “Actually, if you were near me, you could probably avoid your immune system tanking for a bit longer since I’m basically an extension of the archives.”</p><p>Jon didn’t notice his eyes gave off a faint glow when that knowledge came to him. It wasn’t something the Beholding wanted him to Know, but he took it anyway. The others noticed. </p><p>Tim stood up suddenly. “Okay, so enough Spooky stuff. It’s Noon, now. Perfect time to hit up the pub. Let go. All of us, even you spooky boss.” </p><p>Jon was startled. “Wh-”</p><p>“Nope, you don’t get out of this. You told us that there wasn’t a rush, so we are not going to rush anymore.” Sasha grabbed her coat. “It’ll be on company card cause pretty sure you can count this as an expense with that new fancy budget.” </p><p>“Martin, grab Jon’s coat. We can’t let him enter that office or he will turtle up in there.” Tim grabbed Jon by the arm as Martin nodded and vanished into the office. </p><p>“I’m not going to have much a say in this, am I?”</p><p>“Nope.” all three of them said at the same time. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ended up being a bit more of serious stuff. </p><p>Stuff that didn't make it in: While Georgie helped Jon figure out good wording, there was some minor rules she tried to place on him. They were doing the test explanations over lunch, Jon kept calling himself a monster, so she banned him from using that word and promised to restrict Admiral rights for an hour each time she heard himself call himself that. He was all "fine, I'll just leave for an hour." only to be told, "are you okay with punishing him just cause you want to be mean to yourself" which lead to them calling his monstrous traits unwanted gifts with no return receipts.</p><p>Also sorry if it's all over the place POV wise. I was trying to get through all the exposition stuff quickly cause we all basically know most the fear junk.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Getting the band back together?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning in the end notes.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Somehow the summer ended up flying by in a near flash for Jon. Time wasn’t getting any easier for him which unnerved him slightly cause of the timeline events he needed to be aware of. He wasn’t even sure what would repeat and what wouldn’t due to all the changes that had occurred so far. Jon wasn’t too fond of being a test subject for the butterfly effects of time travel.</p><p>It was easy enough to explain why he was so disoriented by time by crediting it to the knowledge crammed in his brain. Tim would joke Jon didn’t have enough RAM to run all the processes, which both annoyed and pleased Jon. He’d normally retort with an info dump of the processing speed of a normal human brain, then Knew how his brain compared and shared that too. No one wanted to know those facts, but oddly enough, somehow Knowing things about his anatomy as it was as an Avatar wasn’t all that different than when he had been human. The differences were definitely things none of them wanted to know, but Jon couldn’t help but overshare. Supernatural anatomy was disgusting.  </p><p>Tim picked up calling Jon ‘Monster Boss” after learning Jon’s feeding habits since Jon refused to hide that from them all. Sasha didn’t call Jon that to his face like Tim, but her phone contact for him was “Monster Boss™”. It made Jon happy none of the assistants rejected him after finding out details of his less than human habits. Jon was still banned from calling himself a monster. According to Georgie, it could only be used as a pet name from his humans though. They all had a group chat Jon wasn’t allowed in called “Jon’s humans” where they would tattle on him if he ever let it slip. It was approved that he could call himself Spooky, but Jon would rather jump into the buried than do that.</p><p>The first time he saw someone in public with a Lonely statement he wanted, he’d asked if anyone of them wanted to join to see what it looks like for him to take a statement from a passerby. So they could stop him or least be prepared if it happened while they were out, was how he put it when he’d asked. Sasha surprised him by agreeing, while Tim and Martin didn’t seem to agree with her choices. She later reported back to them she would like to never do that again. With that being the only thing she said. </p><p>Jon had a very stable feeding method by this point. What he had discovered with a little trial error over the 6 months, was that most of the time if he kept himself feed, resisting people in public was easy as smelling a pastry shop but not going in. Part of him wondered if it was so hard before cause he’d never actually gotten full, or comfortable enough that he Knew he wouldn’t starve if he didn’t take the statement right that moment. It was like each statement back then would be his last and he would do anything to not let it pass him by. After talking with Georgie about it, they both ended up agreeing that Jon had enough uncomfortable parallels with eating disorders that they were going to leave it at that and make sure that Jon never relapsed.</p><p>What Jon had discovered was it took him about 2 weeks without a live statement before things started getting rough. If he created a statement like what had happened with Jess, it lasted a little longer than 2 weeks, but never made it to a 4th week without needing something fresh. Knowing the time frame for his feeding did wonders for minimizing the trauma he spread. If he was out and passed someone with a statement, he would get their attention with a simple, ‘Hello, what you experienced was real. If you would like to share it, here is my business card;’ and leave it at that unless they asked questions. </p><p>After about a month of using the business card method, there was a new statement giver coming in once or twice a month, sometimes even more. Other than the normal wavers they had to sign, Sasha had put together another waver that gave them warnings about the potential of a recurring nightmare from sharing traumatic experiences, and with a few other warnings. Jon luckily didn’t require as much sleep so the nightmares wouldn’t be every night. He would try to take naps during the day, normally after lunch in the middle of the day to minimize overlapping with people’s dreams.</p><p>It was mid-august Jon found he was able to make a fake statements real as well if it met the right requirements. It had only happened once so far as he was taking a statement from someone who had mistaken their neighbor’s cat as a demon. As the fellow had described the glowing eyes of the cat he thought was a demon, he by chance looked up to see Jon’s eyes and made the mistake of meeting them directly. In that moment, Jon’s eyes lit up from the taste of fear in the air and the man didn’t miss it. He had to be escorted out by security unfortunately because that moment the fellow had cemented it in his mind that Jon was another demon or maybe even the same one as before, and that paranoia was enough to create a mark. </p><p>The man was in Jon’s dream that night along witnessing the cat’s demonic form the man had thought he’d seen, as it followed the man wherever he ran. Jon felt bad about that one, but he was mildly curious nonetheless as he watched. The fear of being watched was more common than he’d realized. He couldn’t help but wonder why there weren’t more statements in the archives. Thought maybe if one was afraid of being witnessed, going to a place that records fear is probably not on the top of their list. Either that or Jonah was just a shit Avatar and only one based in the UK since Gertrude never quite Became, so there were less around to make fear over the last 50 years.</p><p>--</p><p>“Jonathan Sims? What are you doing here.” Basira was escorted to the archives by Rosie. There had been a report from a pedestrian dealing with something not right in the Magnus Institute's basement. And since the Institute was an auto section 31, here she was. </p><p>“Basira?” Jon wasn’t expecting to see her for a long while from now, maybe sooner if he contacted her to catch up, but certainly not this soon. He was completely unprepared and winging it was not something Jon’d ever been adept at.  </p><p>“Oh, you know each other!” Rosie looked delighted. </p><p>Basira nodded slightly. “Had a few friends in common in uni. Can’t say we were close though.”</p><p>“Shame. Jon here could use more friends.” Rosie meant well Jon thinks, but that stung. He had friends.</p><p>Basira let out a quick laugh. “Sounds like the Jonathan I remember. Thanks for escorting me down. I’ll take it from here.” </p><p>“Of course. Let me know if there is anything else I can assist you with.’ Rosie took her leave after that. </p><p>The assistants were all out doing various investigations so it was just Jon and Basira now. </p><p>“It’s nice to see you again. Looks like you’ve been doing well. Assuming your visit isn’t for catching up from your uniform.” Jon smiled at her. No questions around Basira and he would not Know why she was here if she didn’t want to share. Jon wouldn’t do that to her again.</p><p>“Has been quite some time. We should plan something with the crew later. I’m rarely in touch with them myself. Work and all. Which is also why I’m here, though I wasn’t expecting you to be here. I’m doing a follow up on a report that came in a few days ago. Do you remember a man that came through here mentioning a demon wearing human skin who was all eyes?” </p><p>“There was a man that had to be escorted out the other day while recounting a demon in his backyard? Don’t remember the all eyes bit tho. Think his name was Clarance or Karl Shults? Or something along those lines. I have a recording if it would help.”<br/> <br/>“Yup. That’d be him. If I could have a copy of the recording it would be helpful in clearing this up quickly. What do you remember of the encounter with him?”</p><p>“Hm, well he came into to share a statement about a tiny demon, which I suspect was a cat from the way he was describing it, and then when he got to describing the eyes, he looked up at me and started to yell, and tried to throw a punch at me.”</p><p>“Why didn’t you report something like that?” </p><p>“He’d tried to, but missed horribly. No harm done. We get weird things like that happening from time to time. He tripped over the chair and I was able to call for security to help me out. <strong>Have you asked them for any details?</strong>” The static hung on his tongue as Jon mentally cursed to himself. He’d relaxed too much.</p><p>“My partner is speaking with them at the moment, but we thought the best details for the encounter would be here.” Basira looked at Jon with a confused look that screamed she noticed the compulsion. </p><p>Before Jon could say anything else, A growl came from the doorway.</p><p>“Basira...Get away from him.” Daisy’s eyes were locked onto Jon. Jon felt the blood drain from his body. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>TW: mention of eating disorders (about when Jon starved himself) </p><p>Tomorrow's chapter is going to be a doozy as a heads up</p><p>Thanks again for the comments &gt;w&lt;) still a bit behind responding to them all but I read them all~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Welcome home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warnings in the endnotes, along with what the glitchy text says un-glitched in case its hard to read.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It all happened in a quick and fluid motion. Daisy saw a monster and the monster looked back, opening all it’s eyes -so many eyes- in shock, in fear of the Hunt. Good. Something in Dasiy purred.  </p><p>“What the-?” Basira gasped out as she saw Jon’s eyes. Too many -all glowed a neon green. How were there so many eyes, they shouldn’t work that way with how bones are structured? She didn’t have time to linger on the thought. In that moment, Daisy charged.</p><p>This was his place of power, but Jon’s fear of the Hunt overpowered his instincts and overwhelmed him just enough for him to appear as prey. And for as little as Daisy might be aware of what the Hunt actually was, to both her and Basira, they were clearly looking at a section 31 monster. And they killed monsters.</p><p>Daisy’s eyes burned into Jon as she went full on attack, knife out. Basira stepped aside and didn’t stop her. They had both witnessed monsters in the past, and knew how dangerous they were. Basira had a sinking feeling her friend from uni had been replaced by the monster before them. She wasn’t entirely wrong, though not completely right, but she wasn’t aware of that.</p><p>In the eyes of the two cops, Jon wasn’t Jon, but the monster they had been sent to investigate. Elias had even given them full access to all the areas just an hour before stating if there was a monster about, he would be thankful for them to deal with it. </p><p>So deal with it Daisy did. In what felt like both seconds and hours, there was a knife on Jon’s throat, digging into the flesh. Blood colored the knife then-</p><p>[<em><strong>click</strong></em>]</p><p>"Alice ‘Dais̮͞y͆͢’̩̕ ̻̈To̻̍n̹͍͋͗n͋͜e̯͆r̦͊,̬͂ ͇̈́͝ͅr͙̺͡͝ḗ͍̫m͍̰̿͠ę̀ṃ̮̋b̰̹̈̑͘͟e͚̱͔̅̎̈̚͢r.̙̎" The static was heavy in the air. So much so that Daisy’s knife fell to the ground and Basira gasped for air. </p><p>Jon’s eyes -all of them- were locked on Daisy, pushing on her with a pressure she’d never felt before. Tears began to pour from Daisy’s eyes as she began mumbling a chain of ‘no, please don’t’ and ‘don’t make me’. </p><p>“̴͎̾Remembě̮r t͌ͅhe ̟̒U̧̾n̬̱̄kn̳̔o̺̕w̞̋i̧͍̐̍n͎͈̿͂̍͜g̲̯̈̿̽͢,̥ ̠͍͛̏rȇ̡̘͂̕͜m̈̐͢͢em̺̞̪̀͆̑b̰̚̚ͅe̡̧͂͒r̢̫̽͊ ̬̌͌͢t̡͂hẹ̪͗̓ ͔͇̦͈͉͛̓͋͑̕b̞̮͇͒̎̆u̥̅r̡i͍̫̓͒͗ͅě̤̠̋d̯͆,̬̩͕̘̆̌́̚ ̻̱̯͆̏̅ȑ̬̜̞̙̘̃̑͘͜͞e̢̤̰̝̥̖̙͊̅̌̑̉̄͜͡m̨̭͉͙̩̪͈̥̅̊̊̾̏̒̚ȩ̨̘͓̗̟͎̮̎͌̂͛̄̓̔̇ṃ̢̘̗̗̣͖̼͆͋͂̓͑̿͝b̛͙̼̗͉͕͚̅̾̅̌͋͛͟͢͡ė̡̢̬̥̲̟̂̑͗̄̑͋͟͜͠ṙ̼̜̜͈͓̗̙̅͗̽͑͐̕͘͟ ̻̤͙̝̮͈̦̲͗̑̀͛̌̽̄̕t̲̪̭̫̜̟͍̋͋͒͗͒͑̊͗ͅĥ̨͇̥̩̪̯̤͔̋͑̀͐̈́̓̕e̛̳̼͍̩̲̗̲̖̓͌͗̈̚͞ ̧̱͉͍̞͚͒̋͆̀̌͂̒͜͟͝l̨͍̲̠̩̥̹̓̊̇́͂̃̿͋ͅả͔̺͓͕̱̞͈̜͗̄̍̄͘͞͡s̝̲̫̭̹̠̞̪̀̓͒̿͒́̚t̠͚͇̖̪̝̙̤͋̏̀̎͛͑ ̢̩̪̗͉͈̮̼̌̄̎̿̀͊̄͝t͕̪̭͍̣̜̯̗͒̍̀̑̊̔̚͞i̼̯͎̘̦͉͇͋͐̔͊̄̅̾̒͢ḿ̦̮̘̣̘͗̇̐̀̾̓͘͢͢͜ę̞͎̠̱̝̱͓̾́̾̿̕̚͘͝ ̧̻̜͖͙̣̞̻̍͋̂̍̌̍́̕ẅ̡̪̼͚̠̘́̐͂̓͑͗̚͘͢͟e̛̲͕̳̳̟͒̽̽͗̆͢͢͜͞ ̡͕͉̹̯̱͎̎͌͂̇̂̄͂̚͢m̰͕͇̦̪̟̦̓̎͋̇͗̚͢ȩ̨̨͉̘̘̘͓̒̈́̀̌͐̓̎̚ṭ̬̫̳͇̮͙̍͂͌̾͗́̔͘ͅ-̨̖̙̥͖̙̘̼͊̏̑́̉͘͡” </p><p>[<em><strong>click</strong></em>]</p><p>Both Jon and Daisy collapsed as Jon finished the last part. Neither one appeared conscious. Daisy’s face covered in tears, Jon’s eyes, all of them, closed with blood running down his neck. The wound already appeared to heal past where it would’ve needed stitches, let alone where it would’ve been considered fatal had it been on a normal human. </p><p>Basira could breathe again, and rushed to Daisy. There was still a pulse and Daisy appeared to be breathing. Basira had no idea what had just happened, but whatever she had been talking to was not Jon. The grief sunk in at that thought. It hurt to think she couldn’t remember the last time she had actually spoken to Jon, and now he was gone. Replaced by some Eye monster.</p><p>She went to call in for back up, but her walkie appeared to have been fried from whatever that static was. “Shit.”</p><p>Jon started to stir, let out a little gasping murmur. </p><p>Basira looked over at him -it. Its voice was dangerous. She could tell that much. First the thing that happened with her, then with Daisy. She might not have it in her to kill the thing, but she could make it shut up. Can't speak if unconscious. With a heavy swing of her baton, she brought it down hard onto the creature's head. </p><p>It should’ve been harder to, since this creature was wearing Jon’s face, her friend’s face, but anger powered the blow. How dare this creature pretend to be Jon. Fortunately for Jon, and unfortunately for Basira, it woke Jon up rather than knock him out further. This time it was only his normal eyes that opened, though they still contained a bit of the glow. </p><p>Basira looked furious and raised her baton again. Hell if she was going to let it hurt Daisy more. </p><p>Jon raised his hands out. “Basira wait. I can explain. First, you’ve got to let me help Daisy. If you leave her like that there will be problems.” </p><p>“Is that a threat?”</p><p>“No. -No. Not at all. This was an accident, I was startled. If she stays like that...there will be permanent damage.” Jon didn’t know what damage he was referring to, but he Knew he didn’t want it to happen. “Please, I promise to explain everything, just let me-”</p><p>“You’re a monster, you think I’m a fool that’d trust a monster.” She prepared to try her hand at knocking him out again.</p><p>“Basira please, Daisy is as much of a monster as I am. And I’m as much Jon as Daisy is Daisy. If I don’t fix this right now, she will not wake up sane, and I won't be able to reverse once that happens. Please trust me. I promise you on the Admiral that I’m not lying.”</p><p>“Fine. I want an explanation afterwards, and if you do anything more to Daisy, if she isn’t alright, I’ll make you regret it.” The Jon shaped monster did seem to not want to pick a fight when she came in, it wasn’t till Daisy scared him did things go wrong. Plus, Jon or not, the fact its panicked response lined up with Jon’s ‘I could never lie about this’ response so flawlessly that she’d seen many times while he was both sober and drunk. Somehow this monster was still Jon enough Basira was going to take a gamble. She needed answers, but before that, she needed Daisy to be okay.</p><p>Jon winced at that. “Thank you.”</p><p>Basira kept her baton on the ready while Jon hurried to Daisy. His extra eyes opened again as he started whispering something. It was an indistinguishable sounding nonsense mix of noises, like a broken melody. Basira had no idea what he was doing, but there was a low hum of static that accompanied him. Nothing like the threatening feeling from before, it almost felt comforting. It stopped and all the eyes closed again.</p><p>Daisy let out a grunt of pain. “Jon…? What?”</p><p>“I tried to negate some of what happened. I didn’t know I could even- how’s your head. ” Jon was talking fast. </p><p>“Jon, slow down, my head feels like it’s been through a blender.”</p><p>Jon let out a nervous laugh. “That's a good way to put it…” He inched back to let Basira in.</p><p>“What did you do to her?” Basira squinted to Jon. Basira cautiously went forward. Last thing she wanted to do was startle the Jon-Monster.</p><p>“Hey Basira.” Daisy smiled at Basira like she hadn’t seen her in ages. Then did a double take at the two of them, appearing shocked at something. “Wait, Jon, what happened, what’s Basira doing in uniform, where are your scars?” </p><p>“Time for that explanation I promised you, Basira.” Jon stood up from his position near Daisy to lead them to someplace more comfortable to talk. “Guess the best place to start would be, I’m still the same Jon, just some things ended up happening, so I’m a little less Human than I was a few years ago. There was an incident in the future that caused me to return to the past with memories and skills I gained through the next several years. So I’m something of a time traveler by extension?</p><p>“A side effect from the less human features is, I accidentally triggered Daisy’s memories of things that haven’t happened yet. So you could say that she is from the future now too. Only she is lacking the physical side effects for the moment…” Jon paused like he was considering something. His eyes shimmered with a green glow again while he thought completely frozen mid walk. </p><p>Daisy hummed as Basira started to look on edge. “The eye glowing is normal. He is processing too fast for a human brain to keep up. Give him a moment.” Daisy pointed as Jon started to move after about 15 seconds of his supernatural pause. “See?” was said in a fond mumble as Jon continued to talk.</p><p>“Hm, maybe a better way to put it is she has information of events from the future mixed in with her current memories? I guess either wording has the same effects really, but I’m not all that sure if the memories were how Daisy perceived the future, or if it was how I perceived them. So the memories might be lacking emotional bits that weren’t soaked in fear and are just information?“ Jon started to mumble cause he didn’t know which was the case since the distinction didn’t bother him, but might bother them? </p><p>“The fuck?” Basira got comfy on the break room couch with Daisy joining her. </p><p>“You got some new skills since last we hung out Sims.” Daisy had a grin on her face. “That was an Elias only move before. You taking notes from him now?“ Her memories were settling a little bit in an odd way. Like she could remember everything up to the Not-them attack, just as well as what she had for breakfast this morning. She wasn’t enjoying the conflicting dates floating in her mind. Wasn’t even the same day of the week. </p><p>“I got a bit of an upgrade when the world ended.“</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>TW: referring to person as it, police brutality, violence, altering memories</p><p>Spooky font reads:<br/>“Alice ‘Daisy’ Tonner, remember.”<br/>“Remember the Unknowing, remember the buried, remember the last time we met-”</p><p>Extra notes: Elias is a little bitch and was the one to file the report to get Basira and Daisy in. He made sure to report it on a day that they were the only ones available. Elias wanted jon to get marked by the hunt and he got his way &gt;:c</p><p>Another thing, I picture that Jon and Basira were pretty close back in uni. Their ideal hang out would both just occupy space with each having a book of their own and not chat much if it was just them, but when in a group, they would be pretty open. Basira was probably one of the last in his uni group that he lost touch with after the Georgie break up. </p><p>Also small update: Things haven't been getting worse in my area, so that's a plus. I've got about 5 more chapters written out but depending how 179 goes, I might end changing some of the dialogue for the next chapter to incorporate any new information. It shouldn't change any of the junk I got planned, but just might make for some differences in how Jon's explanation goes.</p><p>Thanks so much for all the comments &gt;w&lt;) I'm so happy you've been enjoying the story so far!</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Time is hard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>as i mentioned in the end notes of last chapter, some convos bits mighta been changed depending on how 179 went. Im only adding a single line. The rest is staying the same cause my world now &gt;:c</p>
<p>The parallels with the timing of posting this chapter was an amazingly wonderful coincidence with the airing of 179. </p>
<p>Got some tw in the end notes, along with a link to some notes that only really give a bit of a look inside Jon's head that I left out so this fic could be as spoiler-free as possible with the newest episode stuff</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon proceeded to fill Basira in with the tldr version of events that Daisy would be aware of now, with Daisy chiming in from time to time to both fill in things Jon didn’t word properly. Daisy semi joked at one point that the most cursed knowledge in all this is she was going to have to wait several years for a new episode of the Archers. The mood in the room lightened considerably after that.</p>
<p>Basira started to fully calm down about halfway through after seeing Jon talk in an unguarded manner with Daisy back and forth about how some events actually went down. He was a little less emotionally constipated, but still the same Jon she’d spent all that time in uni with. She began to snicker from time to time cause of course Jon would get himself in the kinds of messes he was telling her about. His curiosity was both his best and worst trait as she remembered some of their late-night adventures about the town. </p>
<p>Jon did leave out detailed information of the fears, he neglected to mention his feeding habits and the actual how he ended the world, just told her it was terrible and the time went weird when it reversed. It would take too long and he knew his assistants would only be out for so long. Plus, he needed a proper script to inform Basira of all those things. He remembers how terribly it went last time and how she felt about avatars. </p>
<p>Basira was sectioned, but he didn’t know how much she wanted to be filled in with information wise. At the moment his goal was only to make sure she was filled in enough that Daisy wouldn’t end up feeling lost in time. He would ask Basira if she wanted detailed information about the fears once he got her up to speed about the future stuff. </p>
<p>He also made a point to tell them both that he’d only told Georgie about the future stuff, but his assistants knew about the fear junk and how Jon wasn’t a person in the same way he used to be. </p>
<p>“So you’ve stopped calling yourself a monster?” Daisy didn’t miss that. She also didn’t miss that Jon didn’t look as weak as he had back when he was on a statement only diet. She wasn’t sure if he was feeding on innocents or maybe he didn’t need to yet and was just a healthy pseudo-human still.  She wasn’t going to call him out in front of Basira with as touchy as the subject had been before. Not that she was okay with Jon victimizing others, but she had no room to talk. </p>
<p>“I’ve been banned. Georgie will cut off my Admiral cuddle time.” Jon sounded bitter.</p>
<p>Basira let out a snicker. Of all the mannerisms and actions that she observed in Jon that helped her believe he was still him, that was what sealed it. If the Admiral trusted Jon like this, Jon was Jon. For better or worse. “Good. I’ll report to her then if you let it slip.” </p>
<p>Daisy laughed with a solitary ‘ha’ and Jon looked betrayed. “Basira, you wouldn’t do me like that would you?”</p>
<p>“Only if you call yourself ‘monster’. Admiral bound rules are sacred.” Basira had a warmth to her smile. Jon was still a mess even if he had more time then them to mentally grow. She would need to make sure to join the ‘keep an eye on him’ crew. </p>
<p>“On another note, does this get any less disorienting to have two sets of memories?” Daisy looked to Jon, still keeping her smile. “Not to be dramatic, but seeing you without your scars keeps throwing me off.”</p>
<p>“I’ll let you know when I do. Been at this for 6 months, almost 7 now, and the repeating dates still are hard to adjust to. Let alone the fact I’m completely left-handed now out of habit?“ Basira looked at Jon with a confused eyebrow asking for clarification. “Oh, yeah, my right hand got severely burned about a year from now and I had to change my dominant hand because of the damages of self fist aid.” </p>
<p>“What the hell Jon.” Basira glared.</p>
<p>“It was during that part where I was wanted for murder. I couldn’t go to a hospital. It healed pretty well all things considered, but not a problem anymore.” Jon glanced at his unscarred hand. </p>
<p>“Next time, though there had better not be a next time since you will take care of yourself, come to me. If you are wanted for murder or not.” Basia rubbed her forehead in almost a defeated manner. Jon’s self-preservation function was still as broken in the future than it had been in the past.</p>
<p>“So what now?” Basira was slightly annoyed but wanting to change the subject.</p>
<p>“Hm, well, I’d say the many-eyed demon case is solved, since it was me. Not sure how you’d report that one in, but would be great if I don’t go on a sectioned file so soon? We could get dinner and catch up on less work-based things? I could also fill you in more detail over the 14 fear? Not sure how much you want to know or how involved you want to be ahead of time, or I could just be on your speed dial if you need info. You’re free in a way you couldn’t be in the future. I don’t want to take that from you by sharing too much information all at once.” Jon started to feel a ramble coming on, so he forced himself to stop. </p>
<p>“Hm, yeah. Not today, but I’ll send you a text when I’m ready for another info dump. Dinner would be nice sometime soon.” </p>
<p>Jon nodded. “My numbers still the same. And I’m free most nights.” Basira nodded in return. </p>
<p>“Cool, I’ll be in touch then. You ready Daisy?”</p>
<p>“I, I think I’ll stick around here a little longer. My head is still a little, I need a little more time to adjust. Jon can make sure I get home, Right Jon? He Knows the way.“ </p>
<p>“I don’t mind at all.“ Jon did Know. He never realized they shared a place before.</p>
<p>“Fine. I’ll see you later then.” Basira gave Daisy a kiss on the cheek before leaving. </p>
<p>Jon let out a surprised noise he tried to cover up with a cough. </p>
<p>Daisy grinned, “Yeah, we are pretty private about that. Guess Basira figured you musta known so no reason to hide it.”</p>
<p>“Why did you hide it, I mean, it’s not like you needed to tell me or that-”</p>
<p>“Chill, it wasn’t just you. We didn’t tell anyone -we still aren’t telling anyone, so keep it to yourself- but guess she assumed that there would be a time she would’ve told you. Honestly you both being friends is a bit of a shocker to me. She never mentioned knowing you before the whole worms thing. Guess that makes sense why she was so eager to share the taps to try to get you to slip up if you did it.” Daisy had a fond look to her smile. </p>
<p>“So, that outa tha way, time to fill me in on the stuff you were hiding Sims.”</p>
<p>“You noticed that hm?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, you are missing the classic tired and ready to rip out a statement look..”</p>
<p>“I figured some things out about that, but I’ll get to it. The short answer is starving myself was what caused the problems in the first place. Still not content about that, but I’ve made my choice to accept it.” </p>
<p>Daisy had a feeling he was about to give details on it, wondering if it was going to be a mess of guilt and excuses, but he shook his head. Almost like a reset? </p>
<p>“That can wait. First a little bit about you on that topic cause I’m worried we might not have a lot of time. I didn’t want to say it in front of Basira, but there is a reason your memories stop before the end of the world. What I did blasted you with all the memories, even the ones when the Hunt took you.” Jon took a deep breath before continuing. “The memories that you have as a full avatar of the Hunt. I can’t remove them after awakening them, turns out. So I sort of suppressed them before you could wake up to try to-, I don’t know how long it will last, Daisy. It's bad.” </p>
<p>“Huh, that makes sense. I’ll try not to dig for thoughts after making Basira promise to put me down then. Side effects I should expect?”</p>
<p>“I wish I could tell you definites, but I don’t know. What I did was pure instincts. The memories that were suppressed were…I don't think you could come back if you remembered them.” Jon’s voice cracked a bit there. “I'm sort of expecting the next time you give into the blood and hunt. The memories might resurface. But not sure if it would be just normal hunts that would trigger it, or if you went full avatar again that would do it... The bright side, you are not a full Avatar like me. Not yet. You only got the memories implanted, not the whole future package. So theoretically you could pull a Mike Crew and find an out through another fear? Maybe keep those memories locked away since the Hunt couldn’t take you then?”</p>
<p>“So give up the Hunt and force it out with something else?” Daisy could tell she wasn’t as far gone as she had been after being Elias’s personal monster hunter, nor did she had the hunger lingering from 6 months in the Buried holding her back. “You got any ideas?”</p>
<p>“Actually. Somewhat?” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>TW: eating disorder sorta mentioned or implied, feel like maybe a little bit of implied violence. (let me know if I should add anything.)</p>
<p>Notes: Cause trying to avoid spoilers in fic, here is a <a href="https://i.gyazo.com/f40fc9873d601b40f0cede5413742fa6.jpg">link</a> to some information I wanted to put in about Daisy’s condition from Jon’s POV that explains a bit about why he feels like he is on a short countdown with no concept of time. Whether his worries are just that, or if they are true only story will tell &gt;:3c </p>
<p>Still playing catchup with all the comments &gt;w&lt;) Thank you everyone that leaves them! I love everyone is enjoying this as much as I am~</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Giving up the Hunt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW in the end notes</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>
Both Jon and Daisy figured they should probably move locations, for now, to discuss Jon’s plan in more details. While she was confident that normally interaction without dropping information about the future, for Jon to share his idea on how to help her, there were some things that would need to be said that shouldn’t be overheard. Thus the destination was Jon’s apartment.</p><p>Jon sent a text message to his assistants telling them he will be out for the rest of the day, and that they don’t have to come back to the office till tomorrow. It also included that they were more than welcome to record their normal hours even if they finished up early. It was in fact encouraged to slack off. If the archives weren’t in such a mess, Jon probably wouldn’t push for any actual work to be done at all, but the state of the archives Jon could still feel in his core. </p><p>Jon was slightly concerned about the time frame for when her hunger will kick in again, and drive her to hunt. She wasn’t starving, but he wasn’t sure how her feeding time frames went other than how long it took for her to feel the temptations. He was worried it would only take a glance to trigger those last memories and he wasn’t even sure if they were triggered to the Hunt. It would’ve been so much easier had he known the control while panicking, but Daisy always had that one-up on him.</p><p>Along the way, he filled her in about his system to avoid extracting statements, and even showed her when there was a lady who’d had a run-in with the Dark. Daisy called him a shitty salesman afterwards, but she was impressed with him. He seemed more like himself than she had ever remembered, or would learn of him? Daisy spent a while on that thought before coming to the conclusion she didn’t like thinking about the implications of her memories in relation to how long she’d actually known Jon and how long she’d interacted with Jon now. After all, she basically just met him this afternoon. </p><p>--</p><p>“Nice place. I pictured your place being more, dunno, more gloomy? Maybe more eyes around?”</p><p>“Thanks.” Jon replied dryly as he headed down the hall. “You want anything to eat? I don’t bother stocking my kitchen with food, so probably should order take-out to give it time to get here..”</p><p>“Sure, if it’s your treat. I’ll order something to bring back to Basira with me.”</p><p>“Yeah, go ahead and order whatever. My address and card information is on the board next to the door. You can grab me whatever. It's nice to eat when others do. ”</p><p>“Wow Sims. You know how incredibly unsafe it is to just have this in your doorway?” Daisy was on her phone looking at what she might want to order.</p><p>“I’m not concerned. I’ll Know if someone uses it, and besides, no information is safe. Safety precautions are simply to make it a little harder for a passerby with weak morals to do anything. If someone wanted to use that card, they would, it on the board or not. Plus we give it out over the phone and the internet all the time. Not worth pretending keeping it safe matters.” </p><p>“Yikes. Shoulda guessed the mighty Archivist would know privacy is a lie.”</p><p>Jon chuckled as he came back with a whiteboard, and situated it on the coffee table. “ If someone was bold enough to try stealing my identity, they would be in for a world of regrets.“</p><p>“Yeah, you got things out to kill you all the time.”</p><p>“Yup. I would say the murder pull on me is less at the moment, but you did just try to-…” Jon paused at that thought. He’d forgotten about the blade earlier. It’d already healed, the blood was still there. “I just did my full commute back covered in blood next to a cop…” His voice sounded hollow as Daisy started cackling like crazy. </p><p>“I’m going to change and throw this shirt out…” Jon tossed her a marker. “If you don’t want me to just Know, write down every entity that you have had a run in with that was enough to feel like a mark. We can go from there figuring out a good match. Maybe write down ones you would hate, too” </p><p>Daisy gave a motion of agreement while still laughing. She’d only been back in his life for less than 3 hours and their old habits were back. It was nice not being alone in the past. Well, he wasn’t alone, he had Georgie, but she only had the second-hand knowledge. This was different. He hadn’t realized how out of time he’d actually been till someone else was here with him. For a moment his mind drifted to Martin while he tossed the bloody shirt into the bin.</p><p>“All ordered. Food will be here in 30.” Jon was informed by Daisy when he came out in his clean clothes. </p><p>“Thanks. So what are we working with?”</p><p>“Well, obvious ones are from the Hunt and Buried, but neither seems to be a real option.” Daisy had written a ‘yes, maybe’ and ‘no’ and under the ‘no’ was Hunt and Buried. </p><p>“Other than that, you could put Beholding in the maybe, though you aren’t all that compatible with it, I could probably force a nasty enough experience with it to get you to change alliances.” </p><p>“Not like my time as an employee did that. Hm...That's a maybe.” Daisy wrote Eye in on the board. “Hard to think of any of the others I’d be willing to throw my fate to. None are Ideal, and all other run-ins, I was the one that came out on top.” That last bit was said with an odd bit of pride. Jon almost felt bad he was the reason she would need to separate herself from it because of him. Almost.</p><p>“Want me to Know which might be compatible?”</p><p>“Is that something you can Know? Wouldn’t just give the default ‘join the Eye’ cause the Beholding is greedy?”</p><p>“The Beholding had all the fears in the future. If it holds any sentient capacity past hunger, it probably considers all fears belonging to it. Honestly probably even before I ended the world.” Jon looked at the board. “The Eye isn’t a good fit anyway. You aren’t curious enough for it where feeding it would be easy. London’s got enough Eye monsters anyway.”</p><p>“Ooo do I smell a touch of someone being territorial? Also, I’m telling Georgie you said monsters plural.”</p><p>“I- Daisy no. Don-”  </p><p>“Daisy yes. And done.” She’d texted Basira to pass the message along.</p><p>Moments later Jon’s phone goes off. “Seriously...I shouldn’t have told you that.”</p><p>“Too late. It's good for you. -It’s nice you know. Seeing you not drenched in misery.”</p><p>Jon smiled softly. “Having friends is nice. I should’ve done this the first time” </p><p>“Yeah, now enough about you. Let's figure this out shall we? Know away all-mighty Archivist.”</p><p>And Jon Knew. He erased the stuff Daisy had written, and began writing under two categories. The first one was labeled ‘good fit’ and had the Hunt, the Desolation, the End, and the Eye. The Eye did surprise him, but maybe it was he’d never noticed. The second list was labeled ‘good solution’ and had the Vast, the Dark, the Stranger, and the Spiral. </p><p>“Quite the selection. The good solution bits seem a bit less compatible but more for maybe confusing your memories away?” Jon was looking at what he’d written then to Daisy.</p><p>“Yeah. lets cross out Stranger for sure. Spiral too, I don’t want to mess with Helen.”</p><p>“Michael.”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“They are still Michael right now. They’ve never met Helen yet.”</p><p>Daisy frowned. “That’s. That's confusing.”</p><p>Jon laughed. “They would probably enjoy that.”</p><p>“Right. Either way, that is off. So what do we do with what is left?”</p><p>“We look for a way to get you affiliated. I was thinking about contacting another Avatar for help, or looking for a Leitner depending on what you wanted to do with.” </p><p>“Yeah well...I’ll think while we eat.” She stared hard at the list. Her and Jon had talked about it on the way there, if it were literally any other situation they would be able to work with the Hunt, but Jon Knew feeding the hunt would unlock memories.</p><p>Jon nodded and left Daisy to her thoughts. He closed his eyes and did some mental searching. </p><p>There were 3 Leitners that were within 500km that could help Daisy shift if she truly embraced them. Jon made a mental note to get them regardless cause Leitners shouldn’t just float around. There was also Oliver, but he wasn’t an avatar yet. Ex Altiora would’ve been a great option had Gerry not burned it. </p><p>--</p><p>Daisy had decided to sleep on it for now. It was a pretty big choice to make, so Jon couldn’t blame her. He’d made sure that she made it home alright, and made the current plan to gather as much as he could so her options would be ready. </p><p>This plan consisted of another text message to the archive crew. It was a simple, “rest of the week is PTO. have fun with the long weekend” </p><p>Tim was the first to respond with something along the lines of “what kind of mess are you into” followed by a string of thinking emojis. </p><p>Which Jon smiled at and responded. “Nothing, just on a Leinter hunt to a town little south of London. Shouldn’t be dangerous or take long.” </p><p>Which rather than going back to his place, Jon booked a trip to a small town in France. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tw: paranoia about being watched/identity theft mentioned.</p><p>Notes: so while looking into locations for that last part, I never realized the europe was before looking into it. A trip to paris from london is barely long enough to call a trip compared to what I’m used to in the States o.o)))) I wish things were that close here. (for reference if anyone is curious, my parents are currently a 3 day drive from where I live and my partner is 19 hour drive) all those movies were people travel so quickly through countries makes so much sense now...</p><p>Jon and Daisy just chilling was fun to write. &gt;&lt;) not a whole lot happening in this one, but couldn't figure a good place to break up the next bits so cut it a bit early. plots about to pick up~</p><p>Thanks again for all the comments &gt;w&lt;))</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Book Fair pt1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tw at the end</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Language was odd to Jon now. He’d Known how the Beholding would filter for him so he could understand, but now that included filtering his own words. He hadn’t planned on being able to hold a conversation in French, but well, this was just his life now. He assumed that after all the fear he took in, multiple languages probably came with the package enough that he got fluent enough. Learning through exposure if the Beholding didn't just give it to him.</p><p>Plus side, it wasn’t like when he was first becoming when it was an accident. Jon was very aware when he was speaking French or slipping back into English. He wondered if Martin would be impressed if he found out. </p><p>Jon’s mind started to wander while making his way to the book shop. </p><p>Martin and Jon had once stumbled into Desolation Avatar who was relaxing in a well-kept bookstore. The place smelt of fire, but not of the painful and foul pain that Jude’s domain contained. The Avatar wasn’t all that bad, all things considered. She’d mentioned while they were talking that she was surprised some English men were so good at speaking Polish. She pointed out that their accents were barely even noticeable to her. </p><p>It had delighted Martin as he told her she was speaking English for them. Jon remembers watching the two excitedly talking about what that could meanwhile he took a look around. He Knew what it meant after all, but it was fun to listen to them want to know. The bookstore had been hers, still was, and she would burn it because it was hers. It would be restored after a little while for her to burn again. She would only do this when wanderers longing for the past would stumble into awareness.</p><p>The books she mostly sold before were all antiques or precious books historians would frequent often. She got into the habit of burning it as many of the scholars feared the loss of the past, and how precious knowledge the lost knowledge was. Jon figured she would’ve made a great companion should they have met under different circumstances. </p><p>He and Martin would visit her from time to time, occasionally bringing her new books they found. She would be delighted as she lit the books up. Jon realized that he never ended up telling Martin that the books they brought her would also lure new victims for her sometimes. The people who longed for their books would sometimes break away from whatever fear they had been trapped in, to make their way to her store. </p><p>Had Jon not told Martin cause he didn’t want Martin to be upset, or simply cause he hadn’t seen it as important information? Maybe it had just slipped his mind since she made a point to never burn anything while Martin was near, from the fear of what Jon would do if she scared him. </p><p>An older man bumped into Jon, knocking him out of his thoughts. </p><p>“Pardon me, I’m in a hurry.” the man appeared to be out of breath, but Jon Knew that the man didn’t have a place to be, but to just be away. Curious. “Young man, actually, could you assist me for a moment?”</p><p>“No harm done. Depends what you need assistance with.” Jon responded in fluent French, matching what dialect the man would be most accustomed to hearing by instinct. </p><p>“My, now there is an accent I heard in a long while.” The man had a smile that reeked of a statement. Too bad the man probably wouldn’t journey to the institute to share it. </p><p>“I’ve been told that often that I speak like my gran.” Jon replied as there was a trickling of Knowing that the village where this accent originated has been gone. </p><p>“That is comforting.” The old man went back to focusing. “If I could have your assistance. I’m being followed. But only when I’m alone does it follow. I understand if this sounds like the ramblings of an old man, but if you could walk with me till we reach a crowd, it would be appreciated.”</p><p>“I don’t see why not. No harm in you following along with me. This someone that is following you-” Jon made sure it wasn’t a question, though he could taste it. He directed an unseen eye in the direction the man had come from out of curiosity. </p><p>“It’s not someone, son. It’s a ‘something’. Ever since I’ve found this damned book, I can’t shake the something in the shadows.” </p><p>Jon’s eyebrow raised. “A cursed book. Does it happen to have a plate that says ‘from the library of Jurgan Leitner’ in the front?”</p><p>“How did you know that.”</p><p>“I’m actually looking for something like it. It’s last known location was in this area. Mind if I take a look?” Jon offered out his hand. </p><p>The old man pulled out a small book. It was small enough to fit in a pocket and was bound in sleek black leather. “Giving this away, burning it, shredding it. The book continues to make it back to me ever, damn, time.” </p><p>Jon opened it to find all the pages were completely blacked out. “The Stalking Dark. Quite the nasty book you’ve stumbled on.” </p><p>“Parden?” The old man’s eyes started to grow wide as he saw Jon’s eyes shimmer with an otherworldly green. “Who are you…”</p><p>“I’m the Archivist. I’d be happy to help you if you would be willing to give me this book in payment.” Jon’s eyes meet the old man. Oops, Jon realized he would be seeing this fellow in his dreams. While the entity that followed was of the Dark, the feeling of being watched was too strong to not tangle Jon in. Heck, the man was probably drawn to Jon because of it. </p><p>“The book is yours, Make this stop.” The man’s words were far more stumbling than proper a sentence would’ve been. The man was afraid of the thing in the dark, and this fellow who speaks in a way that last the man knew, no one could. The man hurried off before Jon could agree.</p><p>But Jon did just that. He looked directly to the entity in the dark with all his unseen eyes. Knowing the entity that was bound to the book. It slinked away from Jon’s eyes and unlatched from the man.</p><p>This book wouldn’t do. There was a mixture of Hunt and Dark in this book. Maybe a taste of the Beholding. The Hunt was the problem. Would be too risky for Daisy to use. Might end up siding with the Hunt rather than the Dark since she was already aligned to favor one of them.</p><p>-- </p><p>The next stop was far closer to London in a town a little ways off the main road back to London. It was a nice little tourist spot known for having some stellar sunsets, while there was never any understandable reason why. It wasn’t like there was any views or spectacular colors to it that other places wouldn’t have,, but the sky seemed to have an odd sort of draw to it. </p><p>Jon could see why once he got there. It wasn’t like the Vast was a terrifying fear on it’s own. More often when it’s viewed in mass, it will only ever dig it’s teeth into one or two people who understand the oddity to it. They were easy to pick out in a crowd for Jon. </p><p>Two Avatars also seemed to have taken up residence here. One smelling of the bluest of skies, the other of the milky way. Each of them watching over, and cultivating the fear of tourists who come by to view the wondrous sky here. One was near, on their way to intercept someone. </p><p>Jon interrupted before they could claim their fear. “Archivist...That was rude.”</p><p>“My apologies. But I have business with you. The sooner you assist me, the sooner I’ll be out of your hair.”</p><p>“Offly confident for a bookworm...:” She looked frustrated, as the Milky Way started up at Jon from her eyes.</p><p>“I’ve been told. I’m actually here for a book in fact. It wasn’t in the local shop like I had hoped. It is of the Vast so I was hoping you would be able to assist me.” </p><p>She whined before anxiously peeking past Jon, the person afraid was starting to calm down. “Fine. Some dumb bloke had it on him. You can retrieve it.” Her hand touched Jon’s shoulder and she pushed. </p><p>Jon was surrounded by the night sky for as far as the eye could see. Twisting nebulas, galaxies glowing with pride, stars of all colors and intensities. There was no end to the Vastness around. His feet had an unviewable surface to rest on. There was no evidence there was anywhere else to stand other than were he stood. It was almost that he simply wasn't falling, but the sensation he might fall if he took a step was there. Jon took a step anyway, and did not fall. </p><p>Jon would’ve let out a sigh had there been air. This probably counted as a Mark. Jonah would be ecstatic when Jon was back and it made him sick.</p><p>It was much more pleasant than Mike’s or Simon’s free fall domains, but it still sang with the rushing vertigo of having nowhere to land. Jon Knew that there was only a way for him to stand because the Avatar had allowed him to. </p><p>The man she had sent here with the book he was after wasn’t so lucky as to have a surface to stand. </p><p>Jon found him of course. The Beholding had no problems Seeing here. Drifting, lost in the endless space, dripping with fear, the man clung to the book, staring at the page in the book, then back to the space around. Jon couldn’t help but watch, a few extra eyes on his face and arm opening, taking in the man’s fear. The space around him was endless, but also the page he stared at had a conflicting endlessness. He was trying to view both at the same time and had gotten his head stuck in a loop. </p><p>Jon reached for the book, and there was no hesitation from the man to let go. The man looked to Jon, a moment of hope betrayed after Jon Looked back. Jon exited the Vast Domain in that instant. The man would drift, fearing the Vastness, and the creature that watches, but never to be seen again. Just left with the knowledge he was being watched.</p><p>The Vast Avatar looked at Jon. “You find it...?” She didn’t look pleased that Jon did more than just retrieve the book. </p><p>“Yes. Thank you. Your Domain is breathtaking.” </p><p>“I should hope so.” She grinned with pride while the edge of annoyance was still there. </p><p>“You let them go, don’t you? After they drink in the sky?” There was compulsion in his question. There hadn’t been enough people in the Domain to account for keeping them. Or they could’ve just been so far about that they were unnoticeable. Jon needed to know which it was.</p><p>“Normally. They tell tales of the sky in this town. Brings in more people so I don’t have to go anywhere. I can just stay in the perfect spot with the perfect sunset. That one though. I can’t let him go now you understand.”</p><p>Jon nodded solemnly. He then held out his business card. “As an apology, Seek me out should you need anything.” </p><p>She took it and looked back at him. Nodded then walked off without another word, meeting with the other Vast avatar in the crossroad. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tw: fire, burning books, stalking. Mostly for the bits in the first half</p><p>Was torn how to break this up so rather than it being few parts, merged it a bit more. </p><p>Jon is learning being alone while he travels is probably a bad idea. He misses Martin too much, and also can't help but snack as he travels. too much like the future probably? (this wont be the last time Jon thinks of his Marting.)</p><p>side note: Fire's near me stopped spreading my way, and a the other night helped clear up the air up~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. By the laws of physics, toast will always land face down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’d been about 6 months since Martin learned about the Fears, and that he and the others were tied to one by work contract. He’d also been having nightmares that were getting gradually worse ever since. One would think that would be normal, Martin certainly wouldn’t have expected to be nightmare free after reading statements he researched, let alone learning the fact they were real. </p><p>But no, his nightmares didn’t have anything to do with learning about the Fears. Well, maybe, but not really? They started a month before Jon filled them on in about the entities. After they all were transferred to the Archives. </p><p>In Martin’s dreams, there was Jon, sometimes covered from head to toe in gruesome scars, other times with less or none. There were interactions with people he didn’t know, people he did. There was sometimes someone who’d called themselves Sasha, but it wasn’t Sasha. The Sasha he knew was never in his dreams.</p><p>Sometimes there was just fog, in fact, the first nightmare to start all of the others was the fog one. Martin hated the fog dreams the most. It reminded him too much of the Lonely that Jon had told them about. Too much like he would wake up, and still be there. Sometimes he would wake up and his room was colder. Martin would call Jon on mornings like that. Not quite telling him why, didn’t want to worry Jon over a nightmare, but for some reason just hearing “Hello” was enough to chase off the cold. Tim and Sasha could have that effect as well, but never chased the chill as quickly as Jon’s voice could. </p><p>Maybe it was since Martin was crushing hard. But it was his boss. And Jon was too busy with other things. Martin would often make sure to have something to ask Jon ready for mornings like that. Sometimes it was random facts that Martin could probably google for answers, but Jon never seemed to mind providing the answers. Other times Martin would pretend he had work questions, even to the extent of not asking Jon while they were at work with real questions till the next day in case it was a fog dream night. Martin could never tell when it would happen, as sometimes it would be weeks between. </p><p>It was morning and Jon was out doing something probably reckless, but Martin had the fog dream. So he called. </p><p>“Hello Martin.”</p><p>“Hello, Jon, sorry to bother you this early. I hope I didn’t wake you.”</p><p>“Martin, you know I don’t mind early calls. I’ve told you, it’s not a bother, I’ll be up.” Jon sounded like he was in a good mood, but then again, he always tended to be in a better mood over the phone for some reason. </p><p>“You have, but I’m not so rude as to stop apologizing for it.” Martin’s voice raised in a pointed manner. Jon chuckled on the other end of the phone cause he wouldn’t want it any other way. </p><p>If the chill hadn’t already left, that laugh would’ve been a lethal attack. </p><p>Martin feeling better already continued. “So, if you have time, I was thinking about getting some plants for the archives, liven up the place and maybe have some help fending off the mustiness down there. Wasn’t sure which ones would be able to handle the low light down there. Could also get some imitation plants, but wouldn’t help with the stuffy air.”</p><p>“Hm, there are some that would do well if we got the right kind of lamps to sit with them. Maybe change out some light bulbs in areas where the paper would get exposed to it often? Rather than listing all the various breeds, would you rather we take a workday to do a-” Jon hesitated like finishing the sentence was about ot cause him physical pain. ” ...team-building exercise to the store?”</p><p>“I- A what?” Martin heard Jon, but didn’t really understand.</p><p>“A team-building exercise. That terrible book had mentioned that using work time to do something rela-”</p><p>“No no, I know what you meant, but like to get plants?”</p><p>“Yeah. why not. We could take hours to debate over the right plants and lights on Elias’s payroll. Even include a reimbursed meal after. HR would love it.” </p><p>“Ah, yeah I guess that would be pretty fun then. The four of us.”</p><p>“We can plan it when I get back. The season will probably have some weaker plants, but I’m sure they would thrive in the archives with some extra help. Is there anything else on your mind?” </p><p>“No, not really. Just woke up and had the thought. Wanted to talk to you about it before I forgot.”</p><p>Jon made a sound on the other line, that Martin didn’t quite make out. </p><p>“I should probably go now, do morning routine and such I guess? You are staying safe right Jon? Not doing anything reckless?” </p><p>“Reckless. Me?” The image of a very scared and tired Jon flashed through Martin’s thoughts for a moment.</p><p>“Not funny Jon. I’m worried you know. Texting us to leave early, then again to tell us to not come in for a while. ”</p><p>“I’m Fine Martin. Really. Just running to a few places to help out a friend. I’ve only got one more stop before I return.”</p><p>“Alright. Take care of yourself.” </p><p>“I will. I’ll talk to you later.”</p><p>“Bye Jon.”</p><p>The call ended and Martin fell back into his bed. Jon’s voice was amazing. It was always the perfect remedy to the Lonely dreams. Jon had pointed out before that Anchors were the key to not succumbing to quite a few of the Fears. Did that make Jon something like that to Martin? Probably since it was a one-sided crush, but was enough he supposed. </p><p>It was 7am, but since it was a PTO day, Martin drifted off for a little extra sleep. If he was lucky, there wouldn’t be a dream with that nap. </p><p>Martin wasn’t lucky. </p><p>There was a bookstore, and in it a lady about the size of Jon, was excited talking to Martin and Jon about something. Martin understood a bit of it, being that it was Polish, but what he didn’t understand was how fluid the conversation was. She was using words and phrases Martin didn’t understand or had ever heard, but he understood what she wanted to say. They were discussing something about a book Martin had found near the Trench, wherever that was. </p><p>She was excited since apparently the book had been rare even when it was being printed, and something about how it would burn nicely? The craziest part was Martin was pleased to agree with her? Like that made sense for some reason. </p><p>Rebecca, Martin had suddenly known her name -remembered her name?- offered Martin and Jon some tea. Something about an old friend of hers had found some in their Domain, and as they agreed, she simply grabbed the kettle. The water boiled in moments as Martin moved to prepare the tea for the three of them. In the dream he wasn’t alarmed by it at all, like this was just how the world was supposed to be working.</p><p>As he prepared the tea in the dream, Martin woke up to his phone going off. He knew the ringtone.</p><p>“Yeah...Tim.” Martin’s voice was groggy at best. </p><p>“Did I wake you? Anyway, you won’t believe it. So-” Tim continued talking for a while about something he’d found out about a statement they’d been stuck on. Martin listened intently, while still a little shaken from his dream. The scars Jon had had were very common in his dreams. He’d been very curiously making note of them over the last few months, and they never seemed to change locations, even though sometimes there were less. </p><p>That lady, Rebecca, she was probably aligned with the Desolation. An Avatar of fear. Martin was certain it wasn’t just a probably after a moment.  </p><p>“Hey Tim.” Martin interrupted, still kind of not all the way awake. “Do you think with all this crazy entity stuff, that prophetic dreams might be real?”</p><p>“Prophetic dreams? Like crystal balls and seeing future stuff?” </p><p>“Yeah… I- ah, my dreams have been weird lately. And I know Jon’s told us about his dreams of the statement givers, so maybe it could be an Eye thing?”</p><p>“Why not ask Jon? He could do his spooky google-”</p><p>“N-NO!” Martin cut him off. “S-sorry didn’t mean to yell...I can’t ask him cause I’ve been dreaming about him…”</p><p>“Aaaw, you dreaming about hooking up and want to know if it could happen? We keep telling you to just ask him out. Georgie knows him the best and is rooting for you.” </p><p>“No, I mean yes, but it’s more. Jon is covered in scars. Horrible and so many of them. They are in the same places every time. And Tim, the only parts of the dreams that are nice is the fact he is there with me. There is so much wrong in every other way…” Tim was silent on the other end.</p><p>“Yeah. hmm. That doesn’t sound the most ideal. It only Jon?” </p><p>“Not all the time. I’ve had some dreams with you, and Jon’s there, with less scars, but Sasha never is. Like in any of the dreams. There is someone there that calls herself Sasha though… After certain scars show up on Jon, Tim, you stop showing up. I’ve been trying to not think about it, but what if something really bad is happening with my dreams?”</p><p>“You talk to anyone else about it?”</p><p>“No, you are the first. I probably wouldn’t have mentioned it if you hadn’t woke me up from one of them and it was stuck on my mind.”</p><p>“Hm, maybe keep a dream diary to track it and try to put it in order. If something happens, then you can have a recorder of it before just getting that deja vu feeling?”</p><p>“You believe me?”</p><p>“Martin, Marto, Our boss is literally spooky google. Weird things happen, and we look into weird things. I trust your instincts regardless of the case. We are professionals at this.” </p><p>“Thanks. Could you not tell anyone else for now? I don’t want anyone to worry till it’s sorted out more.”</p><p>“It’s okay for me to worry though?” Tim lightly teased. </p><p>“No, but less is better?” </p><p>“Just pulling ya. I get it. Don’t wait too long though.”</p><p>Martin agreed and they went back to talking about Tim’s statement. </p><p>After making breakfast, Martin started to write down all the dreams he could remember. It was weird as he wrote them, it wasn’t like trying to remember normal dreams. It was more like writing memories to paper like preparing a biography, or least what he figured that would feel like. He didn’t even have any problems putting the dreams in order. </p><p>It was like he knew the order they happened in chronologically even if the dreams weren’t dreamt in order. It was almost the perfect order for a narrative that never happened. Hasn’t happened.</p><p>About 6 pages into writing out his dreams, he was hit with a wave of fear as he wrote down ‘after Tim died’ in context to logic of something he was writing out. That hadn’t happened in the dream, in any of them. Martin also knew the next part that would be written was that Jon went into a coma, he started to cry. Somehow after that all the dreams started to thread together too nicely. Months of being alone, all the foggy dreams. </p><p>Maybe he would tell Jon now. So Jon could tell him this was silly, and just anxiety or something. </p><p>He sent a text to Jon this time, rather than a call since he didn’t want to interrupt Jon. The text was a quick “Got some questions for spooky google. No rush.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I missed martin.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. ...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>//escorts myself to the timeout corner for this//</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon saw the text while he was in the check-out line. “Dammit Tim, how many times have I-”. cursed under his breath till he noticed it wasn’t Tim. The message was from Martin. It wasn’t like him to refer to Jon that way, least not to him directly. The ‘no rush’ added to his concern. His grip on the book in his hand tightened. </p><p>The third book, he’d found in a used book section of a thrift store. It was a children’s book designed to create a burning city out of dreams. Too much like Mr.Spider. It wouldn’t fall into some poor human’s hands. Once he is done with it, it will never see light again.</p><p>The cashier made small talk with Jon, seeing as he only had a single child’s book, but he ended up barely being aware he had responded to her something along the lines of it being for a dog to rip to shreds so he wanted something thick. She didn’t ask him to elaborate and wished him a pleasant day. </p><p>Soon as he exited the store he called Martin. </p><p>Martin picked up after the 4th ring, his voice didn’t sound like it wasn’t a rush at all. It was steady enough, but that message had Jon on edge. “Hey Jon.”</p><p>“Martin, what’s the matter? Are you alright?” </p><p>“I’m fine, you sound anxious, are you alright?”</p><p>“It’s just in the text...”</p><p>“Oh -Oh! Yeah, I’m fine. I- I’ve been better sure, but this is just a slightly weird kinda thing. Nothing like being attacked by sentient worms or anything.“ Jon froze in place, causing someone else on the street to bump him. The person let out a ‘hey watch it’ but Jon didn’t hear it. Jon’d never mentioned any of the future things, and Georgie wouldn’t have slipped up would she have? Prentiss hadn’t even shown up in statements yet, not enough for Martin to pull that very specific reference. </p><p>“Martin…”</p><p>“Sorry to worry you, It was -Had a bad dream is all. Well, several. It’s fine, silly even now that I’ve said it.” </p><p>“It’s not silly at all. It’d be better to not keep that sort of thing in, I’m sorry I should’ve warned you that-” Jon has paid extra attention to not Know anything without permission, but could he have missed something. Was Martin already being assaulted by another Entity? The Eye wouldn’t attack one of it’s own.</p><p>“No, it’s fine. Not your fault. Even if you did something, not like I can have nightmares where you only stare at me after all.” There was a little bit of light-hearted tone to that. Trying to pass fear off as a joke. </p><p>“Well, my attention is all on you if you’d like to talk about it. I just finished up with my last errand.  Would you, would meeting up to talk be better?”</p><p>“I- You don’t need to do that, I just had a question, should be an easy answer. Probably? It’s just so I know it’s all in my head. I’m probably just scaring myself over nothing.” </p><p>“Ah- alright. What do you want to know about?”Jon started walking again. No reason to stand in the middle of the sidewalk.</p><p>“Have you heard of the Unknowing before?”</p><p>The question was answered with silence. </p><p>“Jon, are you there? J-Jon?”</p><p>“Oh Martin.” Jon sounded like the world just fell on his shoulders. “Where did you hear about that?”</p><p>“Like I said, I had a dream where i-it was mentioned. It’s bad, isn’t it?” Martin sounded, not good.</p><p>“No, No it’s nothing bad. Well I mean it is bad and rather annoying yes. But not something we need to worry about. It’s the name of one of the Rituals. Of the Stranger. “ Jon was certain he didn’t mention the Unknowing. How could Martin know of it? He was only going to bring it up after Tim opened up about Danny, or it got close to the time it would take place. Let Tim blow up some mannequins. </p><p>“Oh. Um, this is going to-...is it a dance? Where s-strangers wear...?” Jon could taste Martin's fear over the phone as he asked. </p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Christ Jon. Why would you not tell us about something like that- Great.” Martin started to sound worked up. “I guess my dreams are full of information then? Every-” </p><p>“You’ve had more dreams? What is happening in them?” Jon’s pace picked up making his way back to the train.  “Are you at your flat?”</p><p>“I’m at home, yes. It might be easier to talk about not over the phone... You don’t need to rush, I’m not in any danger. Just, how far away are you right now? ” </p><p>“Not far. I can be at your flat in an hour or so. I can stay on the phone with you till I get there if you don't want to be alone.”</p><p>“Okay...that would be nice. Um...how about you tell me about you’ve been up to? You’ve probably seen something interesting?”</p><p>“I have. There was this cat-” Jon started talking about a cat that was in a carrier in the seat next to him. He told Martin everything from the cat's breed, to how the lady was taking the cat with her to visit her nephew in London, and how Jon was sad he had to get off at his stop to pick up the book. </p><p>--</p><p>Jon was sitting at Martin’s table while Martin was making tea. He stared down at a notebook Martin showed him when he came in. It’d been Tim’s idea to write the dreams down, but now Martin was regretting sharing it. He couldn’t remember everything he’d written out. Well he could remember what he’d written, just not the how. Like if it was all facts, or if there were emotions too. He couldn’t remember if he’d mentioned his feeling’s for Jon at all.</p><p>Martin hoped there weren’t emotions as he finished up what he was doing. Least Jon only read the first page before closing it. Either meant Jon saw enough, or he Knew what was on the rest of the pages as he did sometimes with books. </p><p>Placing a mug in front of Jon, Martin smiled nervously. “Well?”</p><p>“I don’t know. It’s-”</p><p>“I know it’s a lot...but I’m not making it up.”</p><p>“N-No. I’m not saying you are making it up. I would never- not for something like this.” Jon took the mug and stared into the tea. Jon was making the look again that Sasha had dubbed “Jon 404’d” since none of them could figure out what the heck was going on in his head when he would go silent without notice. It was as though he was so far away they wouldn’t be able to connect with him. </p><p>They’d asked Georgie about it one of the times they were out, and she’d simply said Jon had been through some things he didn’t have words for. That and she’d mentioned that emotions had always been hard for Jon, and to be gentle with him if he seemed flooded like this. </p><p>It’d confused Martin at the time that she had called it ‘flooded’, cause the expression always seemed like no one was home. But seeing Jon sitting at his table, he got it. Jon seemed to have so many thoughts going through his mind, it was like words didn’t even fit into the equation of his thoughts. </p><p> </p><p>[<strong>click</strong>]</p><p> </p><p>“So. My dreams. Are they prophetic or something worse?”</p><p>Jon let out a laugh. “No. They aren’t prophetic, nor worse I think. I don’t Know what is causing them, but I know what they are. Is this everything, or there more?”</p><p>“There’s more. I just couldn’t keep writing cause Tim...Can you explain this to me if it’s not prophetic?”</p><p>Jon nodded. “Promise me you won't freak out?”</p><p>“Gunna be hard not to now since you are leading with that.”</p><p>“Martin…”</p><p>“Fine. I promise. I’ll save freaking out till you leave.” </p><p>“That's not much better.” Jon smiled. There was a jolt in Martin that screamed to protect Jon to keep that sad smile from ever being there again. </p><p>“It’s all I can offer for now.” </p><p>“Right.” after a deep in hale he continued. “Your dreams are memories. Somehow you’ve been remembering things we’ve, well things that haven’t happened now, but experiences that lead up to a very bad event I’ve been trying to prevent.“</p><p>“The way you’ve phrased that, you’ve got these memories too? Are they complete or just random like mine? Cause they aren’t in order while I’m dreaming them.”</p><p>“Mine are a complete record. It’s like a solid line from the bad event right back in Elias’s chair right after signing my humanity away.” </p><p>“Ah. So all those scars.” Martin didn’t mean to say it outloud but by the look of horror on Jon’s face, Martin was sure Jon remembers how he got every one of them without the confirmation. “I’m so sorry Jon. Why didn’t you tell us. We could’ve helped, or least, I dunno, done something?”</p><p>There was that damn sad smile again. “No, that timeline doesn’t exist anymore. Me being aware of it alone has already thrown off events from happening. So knowing it wouldn’t have been good for anyone to know.”</p><p>“One person having future vision shouldn’t be enough to throw off a timeline Jon. I’ve watched enough movies to know how fake they are.” Martin was freaking out. But he told Jon he would try to keep it cool, so he will. Jon clearly has a lot going on, so Martin wasn’t going to make it worse. </p><p>“It’s not just me. Elias remembers everything. He is also the one that is more affecting the timeline of events at the moment, least the ones that put you all in danger. Much as I hate to admit it, he and I are currently at a stalemate of sorts. I have the upper hand at the moment by pure favor as the Archive, but in terms of actually Doing something.  I can’t relax yet on that fact alone. Not till we figure out a way to break his connection to you all that we’ve all been researching.” </p><p>“If we knew about the-”</p><p>“No, Elias was always one step ahead of us the first time around. Any knowledge of the future would be more harmful to it cause then there would be expectations on how Elias would act and we could fall into old habits. Elias was good at playing me in the past. Anything I share could still be affected by that time“</p><p>“That's awfully insightful.“</p><p>“I’ll tell Georgie you think so.” </p><p>“She’s in on it?”</p><p>“Only a little. I kinda had a breakdown on her couch a few days after I found myself back in 2015. She doesn’t remember, I just kinda info dumped on her while burying my face in the Admiral.”</p><p>“Oh. So what now?”</p><p>“Nothing changes? I’m happy to talk with you about it all of course, and look into why it’s happening, but it doesn’t change that Elias needs to be stopped.” </p><p>“Oh. I guess that sounds easy enough. Nothing changes.” Martin nodded to his tea more than to Jon. “So, then can we talk about some of the memories? You said that you don’t know why right? What will happen if I keep remembering, what will happen to me?”</p><p>“I assume they will continue to feel like dreams? There is a chance you might wake up one day with a full set of memories, like you were suddenly thrown into your younger self’s body like I did, but now that you are aware of it, it might not be as confusing when the two sets of memories merge? Think the worst outcome would be if your memories of the Lonely started to surface without- What is that look for? Martin, have you been remembering the Lonely?” <br/>
 <br/>
Martin nodded. So it was the Lonely that brought the chill in the morning. It seems obvious.</p><p>“When did you?” </p><p>“The day we transferred to the Archives?” </p><p>Jon bolted from his chair and over to Martin. For someone so much tinier than him, Jon knew exactly how to fit Martin in his arms. </p><p>“I’ve been so scared…” Martin returned the embrace and started to sob into Jon. It’s been confusing, but he’d been managing it, but the moment that Jon held him, Martin remembered he didn’t want to just manage. He was safe in these arms.</p><p>“I’m so sorry. I should’ve noticed. You shouldn’t have been alone through that. ” Jon started to run his hand through Martin’s hair. “I’m here now.” </p><p> </p><p>[<strong>click</strong>]</p><p> </p><p>It didn’t take all that long for Martin to get composed, and in the process of getting there, he and Jon had moved from the kitchen to the couch. Though Martin was calmer, he didn’t want to give up the closeness that Jon held him in. Not yet. Not before asking.</p><p>“I got more than a few questions about all this, but one thing I need to know now that I know they are memories, and not just my mind making stuff up.”</p><p>“Go for it. I’ve never looked into your mind, not now nor then, so can’t say I’ll have an answer.” </p><p>“In the dreams, not dreams. Memories...Hm...We should figure out a good way to word it...But  were we, are we a couple in the future you came from?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Do you still love me?”</p><p>“Yes, Always.”</p><p>“Even if I’m not your version of Martin? If I won't be him? Could you still love me if I never become him?”</p><p>“You are still Martin. There isn’t this whole you and him. Maybe some experiences will change along the way, sure, I’m not holding you to making the same choices as before, including how you feel about me. But you are still you. Same way I’m as much Jon from before transferring into the archives.”</p><p>“But you're not quite the same. You’re the Jon that is actually in his late 30s rather than a 20-something liar.“</p><p>Jon let out a laugh. “Oh hush mister masters in parapsychology.”</p><p>“Oh, what are you going to do? Are you going to fire me?” They both were chuckling until Marting stopped, but continued to hold Jon close. </p><p>“Say, why don’t we go on a date. Not that I have anything to base this on, but I have a feeling we never did that in the not future now junk.”</p><p>“That would be nice.” Jon snuggled. It was Martin, and Jon felt home.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Should I keep the slowburn tag considering it took some 30k words to get there? Considering this is almost literally the first time writing them interacting one on one? I couldn’t do the pinning. I wanted too, but I love Martin too much to not let him have Jon hugs…</p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://i.gyazo.com/4e8c4de1fb8bf45240feddb2ec5bb87c.png">Little bit of meta on Martin’s dreams/memories in screenshot case anyone doesn’t want to know</a></p><p> </p><p>Also in all the references to Sasha in all the dream notebook, he wrote out not-Sasha, cause she wasn’t Sasha. That hit Jon in the gut.</p><p>As for why Martin is having memory/dreams is why I'm staying in the timeout corner.</p><p><b>edit:</b> Look at this perfect number for the word count :0 I can't believe how long this has been getting<br/></p><p><b>Edit#2:</b> fixed the meta link. It got borked somehow when I did the text transfer from gdoc to here</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. it’s my bday so I’ll pine if I want to</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>like the title says, it's my bday while posting this (9/22) so this is a lot less plot-relevant and more just checking in on some gals.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Jon’s a bit odd, isn’t he?”</p><p>“I suppose. What brought that on?”  Georgie was cuddled with a pillow on Melanie’s armchair, while Melanie stood next to a full own conspiracy board, that she insisted was not a conspiracy board. It was simply research. Adding the conspiracy implied it wasn’t true facts. </p><p>Georgie couldn’t help smile at how cute she was in her determination. Georgie really had a type, and Jon and Melanie were basically mirrored humans.</p><p>“Ever since we met, something seemed off, then the green spots, and Jess’s nightmare. Did they tell you about the freaky nightmares? With Jon?” Melanie nibbled on the back of a pen she used to point at various places on the board. </p><p>“They did.” </p><p>“When I went to do a follow up with Jon, he hung up on me. Like mid-conversation than didn’t pick up the phone when I called him back. Not only was it rude, but he is hiding something… If I could figure it out, what an episode that would make.”  </p><p>“Let me guess, you’ve tried going back and he avoided you?”</p><p>“YES. I even tried to get an appointment to make a live statement with Mr. Head Archivist, and you know what he said then?”</p><p>Georgie replied in a Jon like manner. “Miss King, your conduct isn’t appreciated as ghosts aren’t the proper kind of spooky for this fine establishment. Please fill out a paper and we shall get back to you never.” </p><p>Melanie laughed. “Pretty much spot on. Except I coulda sworn I heard him say something about he’d already taken a statement this week. Like isn’t his job to take piles of them in if weird stuff happens?“</p><p>“Hmmm I wonder about that.” </p><p>“Georgie. You know something.” Melanie got close to her and held the pen like a mic. “Spill it. What aren’t you telling me?”</p><p>“Jon is allowed to have his secrets, why are you so invested?”</p><p>“Haunted Institute that focuses on the supernatural. That is such good material, there would be so many views. Heck, every once and awhile I still catch pictures with the green blur. Could probably be a two-parter. Don't think I haven’t been documenting the bits where I was turned away either.“</p><p>Georgie laughed. “I don’t doubt it at all. You probably got a hard drive just for it.“</p><p>“I do in fact, but not cause obsessing or anything like that.” Melanie made her way to her couch and sprawled out. “Just anything with footage or photos has a tendency to get corrupted. So I got the hard drive for the files that survive round 1 of trying to collect. I’m surprised you aren’t worried about him being there.” </p><p>“Oh I am, but seriously, enough of that. You’ve got to have something other than my ex to talk about.”</p><p>“Heh yeah, when you put it that way. Really its that he is the only one that has access to the building, I just want in again to-”</p><p>“Melanie, seriously. What is up with your pull to that place? You’ve never dedicated this much effort to a location before?”</p><p>“Fiiiine.” Melanie groaned out. “I’m just so curious. But I can drop it for now. Maybe I’ll ask someone else to let me in.”</p><p>“Hmm? So you aren’t dropping it?” Why couldn't the people Georgie care about just let things drop? It was endearing, but Jon’d told her what happened to Melanie. The choices made. If it wasn’t creepy war ghosts, it was creepy eyeball ghosts. </p><p>“Yeah, I’m putting it on the back burner. The next location seems so bland in comparison.”</p><p>“Wanna tell me about it?”</p><p>“It’s another grey lady hopefully, but the team is torn on it. Personally I think we should shift focus to a haunting at an old train graveyard, but the team keeps pushing it sounds too fake. So maybe I’ve just been redirecting my interests to keep my mind off it. There is just this pull that location has on me. I feel like checking out the train thing won’t be a disappointment.”</p><p>“Well, if that is the case, I’m more than happy to help you investigate spooky trains. Want to swap out your boards to the train one?” Georgie laughed when Melanie’s eyes lit up. Of course she had a Train board too. Georgie had to work out the nerve to ask Melanie out on a date cause this lady was perfect. It was never hard to ask a rando out, but Georgie wanted to do this right.</p><p>--</p><p>Daisy smiled at her phone then to Basira who was nose deep in a book next to her. Jon had texted her got some books she could read, worded as though they weren’t horrible fear books that eat people.</p><p>“You know Basira, I think we should get a pet for our place.”</p><p>“That's out of nowhere. This got something to do with-”</p><p>“No, I just think since our place allows them, why not. Could get something like a cat so it’d be on the independent side if we worked late. Or maybe a small hamster or something that could scurry around? Something fuzzy so not a fish.”</p><p>“I don’t see why not. What to stop by the shelter tomorrow after work?” </p><p>“You’d be down for it this soon?”</p><p>“Sure, unless you were hoping I would turn you down.”</p><p>“Basira, are you trying to play mind games with me?” </p><p>“Am I?” </p><p>Daisy pushed on Basira’s leg teasingly. “You probably are.”</p><p>“I am. Though having a little critter about could liven up our space a bit. Something to welcome me home when you are working late does seem like a pleasant idea.”</p><p>Basira’s phone went off this time. “Mind checking that for me?”</p><p>Daisy let out a hmm noise as she read it.</p><p>“Anything important?”</p><p>“Sims wants dating advice. Something about Georgie would tease him?”</p><p>“Oh. Hmm.” Basira held out her hand for her phone to read the text. “Fuck Jon. Forgot his texts were like novels on their own.”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <strong>Convo between Barisa and Jonathan</strong>
</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 2:36 PM<br/>Basira, hope this isn’t interrupting anything, but I didn’t want to ask Georgie right away cause she would end up being all “so proud of you for getting together, was it you or Martin who made the first move? Details???“ <br/>And I kinda don’t want to get into it at the moment. Martin wants to do a date, but I’ve never been good at it even before all the weird stuff I’d been telling you about. Gosh I feel like a strange monster trying to play human even more than ever. <br/>(and please tell on me later, or leave out the context cause I can’t right now. I accept my hour punishment for the single use of it.)<br/>What do I do? Dates are normally food things, but I don’t eat any more, Not really at least.<br/>Movies aren’t all that good, it seems like “hey, lets go to a theater and sit for hours were we don’t look at each other” how is that romantic?<br/>Would a zoo be too childish?</p>
  <p><strong>Basira</strong> Today at 2:40 PM<br/>Glad you think I’m not more curious that Georgie, but you are wrong. I want all the details.<br/>Also you get a pass on the monster term cause you are saying you feel like, rather than are. It’s a technicality I’ll let you get off on atm but don’t do it again. </p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 2:45 PM<br/>The betrayal. Basic details I guess is he asked me out. While we were cuddling over trauma?</p>
  <p><strong>Basira</strong> Today at 2:46 PM<br/>Thats messed up, but also not far off from how Daisy and I became a thing. So it can work. <br/>If he asked you out, let him plan it. Try to keep your overthinking dial below 50% and I’m sure it’ll be fine</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 2:48 PM<br/>My brain has lvled up. My new 50% exceeds 100% of my old overthinking lvls by at least 10x. </p>
  <p><strong>Basira</strong> Today at 2:50 PM<br/>You do not have increase brain activity just cause you got a case of the spooky brain. Bodies don’t work that way</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 2:56 PM<br/>My body doesn’t work that way anymore. You saw my Eyes.</p>
  <p><strong>Basira</strong> Today at 2:57 PM<br/>True but not like your eyes act as brain modifiers or anything?</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 2:57 PM<br/>I dunno, maybe?<br/>nm I know now and I hate it.</p>
  <p><strong>Basira</strong> Today at 2:58 PM<br/>Sounds rough. <br/>Why not just let Martin pick, and if you hate it, tell him rather than being a grump through the entire date?</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 3:00 PM<br/>He said he wants to do a poetry night. Help</p>
  <p><strong>Basira</strong> Today at 3:10 PM<br/>Daisy here, You broke Basira.<br/>I’d say rip Sims. You are going to have to either endure or tell him you hate poets.<br/>Also rude you didn’t come to me. I would’ve told you to take Martin to the Space center cause stars are romantic as fuck</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 3:11 PM<br/>Thanks Daisy. You will be my go to from now on.</p>
</blockquote>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Georgie with her crush, Basira with her partner, Jon is a mess. All good couple stuff. </p><p>Melanie was harder to write than I thought she'd be, so hope she didn't seem too off. Also had no idea what Daisy and Basira would do in free time, so they are gunna get cats.</p><p>Thanks for reading! I'm so happy to hear people are enjoying this so far~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Book Fair pt2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon ended up spending the rest of the day at Martin’s place, and while he was prepared to stay the night if Martin had asked, he was shooed away. As Martin put it, ‘Jon clearly had something else to do’, and ‘I don’t think I could sleep knowing there were three Leitners in Jon’s messenger bag one of which would enjoy fire’. Martin also didn’t enjoy Jon pointing out that there were currently 6 other Leitners in artifact storage, and that Martin’s neighbor below him has a Leitner of the Buried that makes plants grow too well. </p><p>Jon also ended that comment with an apology that he was going to have to collect that by breaking into Martin’s neighbor’s place soon. </p><p>Martin told him he would risk a pet shop of horrors for the night and they could plan a break-in if simply asking his neighbor for it didn’t work. Martin sent Jon off with a kiss on the cheek and Jon made his way home for the night. </p><p>Poetry night was still happening, but only cause Jon made Martin promise he would share one of his poems. It was meant to be a deterrent, but  Martin had agreed, so they had a date set for 7 days from now. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <strong>Convo between Jonathan and Daisy</strong>
</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Yesterday at 8:04 PM<br/>I couldn’t get out of poet night, but Martin is going to do a reading<br/>So there will be at least one good poem</p>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong> Yesterday at 8:28 PM<br/>lol<br/>rip jon<br/>willing to suffer for 3 hrs for 1 minute of heaven<br/>of all 14 horrors, the 15th mark would be the hardest</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Yesterday at 8:30 PM<br/>DAISY<br/>Are you implying that a 15th fear would be poetry night????</p>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong> Yesterday at 8:47 PM<br/>yea<br/>you dread it more than the other dread fears? <br/>so if it can be enough to shake you must be scary</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Yesterday at 8:50 PM<br/>I don’t know why I messaged you</p>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong> Yesterday at 11:20 PM<br/>cuz u love me<br/>and basira would laugh at you<br/>which she is<br/>i show her my texts sometimes<br/>like now<br/>we still on for tomorrow?</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Yesterday at 11:22 PM<br/>Of course you would share this with her…<br/>And yeah. Figure they would be best to be near you rather than at my place incase you start to feel any memories coming back before I can get ahold of some other options. <br/>Unfortunately one of the people I wanted to get into contact with doesn’t know me yet…</p>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong> Today at 1:40 AM <br/>couldnt u blast them like me?</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 1:43 AM<br/>No. I would like to avoid doing that<br/>Besides, don’t know if it would work with anyone I never paid attention to enough</p>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong> Today at 1:45 AM<br/>aw u do care<br/>also go to sleep</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 1:46 AM<br/>Says the one who text me back at almost 2 in the morning.</p>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong> Today at 1:50 AM<br/>i knew u’d be up :p</p>
</blockquote><p>Jon rubbed the bridge of his nose. She wasn’t wrong. Though she shouldn’t know about his new sleep schedule of only needing to sleep about once or twice a week. It wasn’t like before where he would sleep to avoid suffering and nightmares, which yes, he did avoid sleeping to let his victims get as many restful nights as they could. But at this point, sleep was more of a maintenance thing where his body would reset whatever chemical cocktail it functioned on, and his dreams would shuffle around like he was organizing his desk to keep it from getting too messy.</p><p>Jon let out a long sigh as he looked out to the street below. There was a fellow with a Desolation statement. But he’d see Jon leave his flat and know where Jon lived if Jon was unlucky. With a little Knowing, the statement ended up not being worth getting out of pj’s to follow the man a few blocks to give him a business card. </p><p>The Archivist observed the man for a few more blocks, unintentionally, but saw the man enter a flat nearby. It was annoying at first that he had chosen not to change out of his pj’s at first, but now he knew where the fellow lived. Few days from now, that fellow would see a business card mixed in with his mail. </p><p>Jon fell back on his couch. After all this time, he would’ve thought it wouldn’t bother him as much as it did. He’d accepted what he was a long time ago with Martin’s help, but just something about having so much power, it was hard using it. Following the man longer than he should’ve, keeping an Eye on Georgie, Melanie, Tim, Sasha, Martin, the Admiral, Daisy, it felt wrong. He didn’t pay attention while looking, was more just if they became uneasy he would focus a little more than normal. Even if he was banned from calling himself a monster, it wasn’t very human of him. </p><p>Jon was so worried that Elias would do something if he stopped paying attention. How Daisy and Basira has snuck up on him earlier in the week. Jon Knew that it was Elias that had filed the report to get Basira in. He’d thought that Elias was being a little too quiet but never guessed that he was growing bold. Jon would have to do something about that.</p><p>But not now. Jon decided to use the dead of night to check out the books, make sure they wouldn’t just eat Daisy. The one with the Dark and Hunt hybrid, Jon read earlier and then proceeded to burn it. The other two were even more passive before his eyes. </p><p>The Vast one basically acted as a lure to jump into the sky and never come down. It was oddly harmless as it would only make your jump seem to last as long as you stared at the page. Once looking away from it, you would finish the jump. It wasn’t like it affected gravity or time, just your perception of time for a little while. </p><p>The Desolation book encouraged the reader to burn their favorite thing. Be it toy, book, photo, or person. After the burning, the book promised a wish granted. The way that the book was written, it encouraged small wishes, like no school the next day, or finding something lost. Things that would normally resolve itself through normal means or as a response to what was burned. Encouraged repeat burnings. </p><p>Jon hated the Desolation. He really hoped Daisy wouldn’t pick this one.</p><p>Thinking of picking, the one Buried that Martin’s neighbor had might not be all that bad an option if it could influence Daisy as an Avatar. It focused on altering the minerals in soil and various other mineral-based materials, so it might make her less on the Too Tight Can’t Breathe, but that would be a giant gamble on Jon’s end. Especially since from what Jon knew about Avatars of the Buried, they tended to bury themselves rather than others, giving themselves to feed the patron rather than others. Also a book so unobtrusive as changing dirt couldn’t be counted on to shift the sway of Daisy’s alignment. </p><p>“What a mess this is. I had no idea I could even project memories like that. What if I’m the reason Martin is remembering. His nightmares.” The two books looked up him tauntingly from the table. What if they weren’t enough. No way he would ask Jude for help, and Simon and Mike were out of the question. Rayner was another he wasn’t going to talk to to help with the Dark. No idea how to contact Oliver, the End was still something Jon couldn’t view without a little help from the Eye in the sky. </p><p>There were those two Vast Avatar’s he met the day before. Maybe they would be willing to help? “Heh, or maybe the Mother of Puppets will have my back. The Web wasn’t too fond of the Beholding’s work even though she was such a pivotal part getting there.” If Jon ever saw Mr.Spider again, he would burn it regardless of where he was.</p><p>Jon ran out of things to do. Nights were boring for lack of better wording, and now that he and Martin were a couple, all he wanted to do was lay next to him. His focus shifted to Martin, who was sleeping peacefully enough. Didn’t seem like he was dreaming of the Lonely at least. </p><p>Jon opened his laptop and started searching for articles on good date ideas. The Beholding could supply him with all the locations people go to in London, but it was just locations with no reviews. To get the human perspective on locations, Jon still had to do it the manual way. It was nice. Seeing the difference between Knowing and understanding how something was viewed. Martin always had a way to remind Jon how to be human, and he was doing it again. </p><p><br/>--</p><p>Elias was ecstatic that Jon had been marked from his interaction with Daisy, as he had hoped would happen. The Beholding also filled him in on the Vast mark too. Jon could still be influenced by fear so the bet wasn’t made in vain. He sat in his front room celebrating with himself over a glass of vine, overlooking the view from the front room window. </p><p>The only mark he was unsure of was the End. How to mark someone with Death, who is and Knows they are incapable of dying. </p><p>--</p><p>Daisy answered the door wearing a button up pj set with the most adorable puppy pattern that Jon had ever seen. When they were living in the archives she’d always just worn what ever she was wearing, so seeing the outfit too him by surprise. </p><p>“Jealous? Basira got them for me last holiday.”</p><p>“How did you-?”</p><p>“I wore them to throw you off of course. Though they are incredibly comfy. Maybe we could find you a pair with lots of eyes. Or with owls or moths since they kinda got the whole Eye thing going on.”</p><p>Daisy left the entrance to meet up with Basira who was reading a book in her reliner. Jon followed in. “I don’t have a choice even if I said no, hm?”</p><p>“Yup. It’s gunna happen. Pj’s are a luxury we can have without having majority of the supernatural world out to kill us.” </p><p>“I hope it’s easy enough to find then.” </p><p>Basira looked up from her book and smiled. “Hey. Thanks for going cursed book hunting for us. Can’t say I’m excited to have them around.”</p><p>Jon laughed after making himself comfy on the couch. “They aren’t as bad as the one you know of. They aren’t safe, none of them are, but of the books, these ones are, less deadly.”</p><p>“They got instructions?”</p><p>“Not quite, but I’ve got them tied shut and was going to fill you in on what all they did and how to avoid the effects unless Daisy runs into trouble suddenly.” Jon proceeded to tell them both about the books, and also let Daisy know he was planning on marking her in some way to try to pull some sway on her even if she wasn’t the best fit.</p><p>“Wait, isn’t telling me you are going to sick daddy eye on me the opposite of what you should be doing?”</p><p>“Nope. Beholding thrives on paranoia. You knowing, but being unable to do anything about it is almost an amplifier.”</p><p>“Even knowing that amps it up?”</p><p>Jon smiled and opened some extra eyes for dramatic effect. “Yup. It’s better than having you sign a contract like last time.” </p><p>Daisy nodded. “It wasn’t the most pleasant contract. I would do it again in a heartbeat under the same circumstances.“</p><p>“So, with that out of the way, you know how to take care of cats right?” Basira looked to Jon who responded with an almost offended look.</p><p>“Of course, why?”</p><p>“We are going to get two. And Basira and I both realized after some talking, the only cat stuff we know is from your info dumps, so wanted to know if you would like to help us get some things set up before we head off the the shelter.”</p><p>Jon’s eyes, even the extra he forgot to close, lit up. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>completely not relevant in anyway to the fic, but feel it is also relevant. While I write, I cuddle up in a blanket with web patterns. It’s my fav blanket~ Made me think of the web.</p><p>Also fuck Elias...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. CATCATCATCATCATCATCAT</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>wow, so episode 180. I'm floored. Also cause of that, I've got a spin off off this on the way that is entirely fluff from future Jon and Martin so I don't get distracted from outline anymore xDD I'll probably be uploading it in a day or two into a collection with this.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Group convo between Daisy, Basira, and Jon</strong>
</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 8:34 AM<br/>Okay, here are the links to all the articles I mentioned yesterday. [12 links attached]<br/>Did you have any trouble setting up any of the things we bought yesterday?<br/>Oh and make sure you don’t leave with any less than two<br/>They need companionship as much as we do<br/>And if you both get busy with work, they wouldn’t get lonely<br/>Though if you ever do get busy with work, I’m almost always available<br/>I expect pictures<br/>Or video call<br/>I’ll Know if you ignore me</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 8:40 AM<br/>You are ignoring me!<br/>I just saw you stick your tongue out at your phone Daisy</p>
  <p><strong>Barisa</strong> Today at 8:48 AM<br/>Get your own cats<br/>Also stop that.</p>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong> Today at 8:48 AM<br/>u should get your own cats <br/>also i dont mind you looking much but you cant look at basira<br/>she doesnt like it<br/>can you filter her out while looking at me?</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 8:50 AM<br/>No. I can’t filter her out, but I can my view so she isn’t in my view</p>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong> Today at 8:55 AM<br/>nice how do u know where to avoid her?</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 8:57 AM<br/>I use her eyes…</p>
  <p><strong>Basira</strong> Today at 8:57 AM<br/>Please dont do that...I would rather I show up while you keep and eye out for Daisy, than you hijacking my eyes. </p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 8:58 AM<br/>Sorry. I didn’t want to lie to you. Its more of a piggy back ride tbh</p>
  <p><strong>Basira</strong> Today at 8:58 AM<br/>Thats not much better.</p>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong> Today at 9:00 AM<br/>that mean u can see me typing this?</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 9:02 AM<br/>Yeah. but I don’t do it a lot cause it’s weird. Even for me. It’s just the only way to filter Basira out.</p>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong> Today at 9:03 AM<br/>weird basira thinks so too. also y u need pics if u can see?</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 9:05 AM<br/>I hoard cat pictures.</p>
</blockquote><p>--</p><p>Martin had ended up texting Tim to fill him in on the situation with the dreams, and included Sasha and Jon in the group chat to make sure that they were aware of what was going on. He and Jon had talked about it, and decided to fill the other two in so they were all on the same page, but Jon insisted he wasn’t going to clarify anything to the group since the future things weren’t going to happen. </p><p>They all agreed in the chat to meet up for lunch at Sasha’s place to talk in person, cause the tone of their texts started to do that thing where everyone was getting more emotional cause they couldn’t tell the tone everyone was speaking in. </p><p>So Jon found himself at Sasha’s place, where he was greeted by an agitated Tim. “Hey Boss, you are the last here, but you probably know that…”</p><p>“I do. I got caught up with a conversation. Sorry for being late.” Jon followed Tim into the kitchen where everyone was sitting with some form of beverage. </p><p>“It happens.” Sasha smiled. “Martin’s been filling us in on most of the things in his dreams. We figured it wouldn’t hurt since you said you didn’t want to be part of the conversation. Or at least in the telling of it?”</p><p>Jon nodded. “I will answer some questions, but please understand, it’s hard. To remember those things.”</p><p>Tim gave Jon a sharp look. “That’s hardly fair. You know so much about us, but then never thought to let us know? Don’t you think leaving those things out is just as bad as looking into our heads? Like you promised us you wouldn’t do…”</p><p>Sasha looked ready to say something to Tim, but Jon was faster. “I get it. You have every right to be angry. It is very different from looking into your head. The things I know about the two of you, is rather limited, all things considered. I know next to nothing about Sasha, and with you Tim, were never close enough for me to know more than a secret that I’ve not shared with anyone, nor do I plan on until you yourself wish to speak of it. Back then I wasn’t like I am now.”</p><p>“What, so like you didn’t even get to know us in all that time we apparently spent together? So you wanted a do-over with us?”</p><p>“No. I mean yes, but…” Jon looked away when Martin cut in. </p><p>“You both died.” Martin held himself confidently. “Not in a good way. Jon didn’t want to have to acknowledge it since you were both here, and very much alive.” Jon nodded. </p><p>Sasha let out a little gasp, while Tim looked like that calmed him down a little bit. </p><p>“I’m not all that certain since my memories are a bit hazier than Jon’s, but neither of you were around very long. Not long enough for Jon to get to know you cause he was moody and paranoid. He’s much better now.” Martin took Jon’s hand, that last part almost said in a teasing, yet supportive manner. </p><p>Jon’s frown grew into a bit of a shy grin, but still kept the somber tones of regret and grief. </p><p>“That’s a lot. So we are like ghosts to you then?” Sasha picked up on the time to try to change the vibes of the room. She had questions about the hand thing too. </p><p>“Not really no. More like the memories were bad dreams at this point. Of a terribly realistic nightmare of a possible future, I won't let happen.” </p><p>“Cool. That doesn’t bother me then. Tim?” Sasha gave him a look, like it was Tim’s turn to make up his mood. </p><p>“I’m...Not happy about it. But I get it. Not wanting to talk about people who died you were close to... I just don’t like that I'm part of that people. But you weren’t doing it to be mean…” Tim let out a big sigh. “So, those hands you got linked. Who asked who out first? Was it a now thing, or your spooky future memories.”</p><p>Martin smiled feeling his face burn, while Jon grinned. “It was always Martin who asked. Both in the spooky memories, and now. He actually asked me on a Date this time.”</p><p>Sasha held out her hand. Tim grunted and handed her a 20. </p><p>“You were betting on us?” Martin stumbled out.</p><p>“Yeah. I had it that Jon would get impatient and ask you out. The way he looked at you when you weren’t looking was painful to be in the same room with. Thought he would break first cause we all know how patient Jon is...” Tim put his wallet back in defeat. </p><p>“I kinda figured the same, but you’ve surprised me in the past, so hoped you would again. You did not disappoint Martin.” Sasha was beaming. “Soooo You gunna share date details or it gunna be a surprise for one of you?”</p><p>“We are going to a poetry night someplace. Martin will be doing a reading.” Jon’s dread at the first part did a quick flip to excitement by the second. </p><p>“It’s going to be at a cafe that serves light meals to accompany the poets.” Martin held Jon’s hand a little tighter. </p><p>“Aaaw. That sounds like it will be lovely for you both!” Sasha held up the 20 she’d just won. “Now, I say we celebrate with ice cream. My treat since this was profit was made from your budding love. No protests. This is happening!”</p><p>“You just want ice cream.” Tim was getting his shoes on.</p><p>“You don’t? Now common!” Her shoes were on and she was out the door with Martin not far behind. </p><p>Jon stayed behind with Tim while the other two walked out of hearing range for a moment while Tim was working on tieing his boots.</p><p>“I really am sorry Tim…I just didn’t have words for it.”</p><p>“Eh, it’s whatever. From the look on your face I can tell you meant it, about us not being close or whatever. Not worth ruining a friendship over. So you know a few things...it about...?”</p><p>“Yeah. And it was always my plan to help you with revenge. I have my own grudge against them as well. I was waiting till you brought it up, or it was close to the point when it would hurt them most.”</p><p>“Good.” Tim grinned bitterly. “Don’t leave me out of the loop then.”</p><p>Jon nodded. </p><p>“Now lets catch up with the other two.” Tim took off with Jon following.</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Group convo between Daisy, Basira, and Jon</strong>
</p><p>[[<em>attached 2 photos of cats. First one is of an all black cat, with a white ear and green eyes. Second one is of a tortoiseshell with one eye green and the other brown, its face pattern doing that almost perfect split line down the nose </em>]]</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong> Today at 2:05 PM<br/>meet the siblings<br/>Tank and Buster<br/>Tank sounds like a monster when he purrs<br/>Buster headbutts like a champ.</p>
  <p><strong>Basira</strong> Today at 2:06 PM<br/>Also making a prerogative order as a long time friend. <br/>You are going to need to get a kitty litter box, cat dishes, bed, and kitten food. <br/>I cleared it with your landlord. Don’t ask how.<br/>You are also not allowed to say no but I think you won't be</p>
</blockquote><p>[[<em>attached is another picture, this time of a grey spotted tabby kitten whose spots look like little eyes </em>]]</p><p>Jon almost drops his ice cream as he set his sights on the kitten in Daisy's lap to behold it in all it's tiny glory. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Convo behind the kitten<br/>Daisy: it's freaky like Jon. Think it will make sure he goes home more often than once a month?<br/>Basira: absolutely. only one cat means he has to be her source of family. and he will. </p><p>:D Kitten wasn't planned in anyway. But Jon gets to have some nice things. She'll probably be coming to work with him. </p><p>No idea what to name her. (time to google fancy ranks for ladies)</p><p>Also hope I used "prerogative order" properly. I wanted it to be "executive order" since she is basically declaring herself as high ranking member of the "council of keep Jon human" text chain. the inner workings of political systems elude me at the deep lvls...</p><p>Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Jon loves kitten</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Convo between Jonathan and Elias</strong>
</p><p>[[photo of kitten laying on a statement in Jon’s office]]</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> at 11:18 AM<br/>
I’ve found an Archivist for the Archive</p>
  <p><strong>Elias</strong> at 11:19 AM<br/>
Remove that creature at once.</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> at 11:20 AM<br/>
No. Fuck off. <br/>
I’m the Archive. I do what I want. <br/>
Her name is Air Chief Marshal<br/>
And you will address her as such.</p>
</blockquote><p>[[Photo of the Marshal in a kitten harness being adorable with the head of HR]]</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> at 11:40 AM<br/>
Love the long text tone<br/>
Does it really last a full10 seconds to play out?<br/>
Say ‘Hi’ to Simon for me.<br/>
Not going to stop till you tell him hi<br/>
I <br/>
Can <br/>
And <br/>
Will <br/>
Interrupt<br/>
Your<br/>
Every<br/>
Word.<br/>
Thank you. Was that hard?</p>
</blockquote><p>--</p><p>“The Marshal has been introduced to the HR team. They all agree she would be a lovely addition to our team as both keep us company, as well as offering support for statement givers. Chelsie thinks she will give me ‘evil villain vibes’ and she means it as a compliment?”  </p><p>Martin laughed and Tim nodded in agreement.</p><p>“She is very right. Except I don’t think you are capable of the kind of villainy that someone as adorable as this one would take part in.” Sasha was petting the little fuzzball. “You only do things like nibble on fear or go boo with your Eyes. The Air Chief Marshal has far higher goals than that. You would hold her back.” </p><p>“No.” Jon gasps. “You’ve been keeping me out of your plans?” Almost on queue, the Marshal let out a little meow. “Oh, that is true villainy.” Jon responded to her like he was having a real conversation. “I see how I couldn’t be part of that plan. Carry on.”</p><p>The kitten started to purr.</p><p>“Jon...are you using your auto-translate function with a cat?” Sasha had a hungry look to her eyes. </p><p>“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Jon grinned playfully and opened some Eyes unintentionally. It was far more common in the archives to not notice when he was Looking while just the 4 of them were alone. It took the crew a while to get used to, but if Jon was comfortable, they weren’t going to make it weird. At this point, they almost treated it like when a cat shows it’s belly. </p><p>“I for one don’t want to know.” Tim stood from his desk, making his way to the break room. “You can keep your secrets. Talking to animals is where I cross the line to cursed knowledge.”</p><p>“You will be happy to know, I don’t think I can talk cat. If you aren’t hearing me meowing back at her that is.”</p><p>“Lalalala I don’t want to know.” Tim vanished while Jon looked very pleased. </p><p>“Now that Tim's outa earshot. Can you understand her?” Sasha tried again while the Marshal started to play and nibble on her finger. Kitten play mode active. </p><p>“No more than you can. Sometimes I get a little extra Knowing, but it’s no more detailed than just seeing what her eyes are focused on. It’s not thoughts. Just like colors or shadows. Never really anything more than like an impression at best.” </p><p>The Marshal jumped from Sasha to start batting at Jon, but more specifically one of the eyes on his arm. He closed it before the kitten could get it, but opened up one a little higher up. When she went for the newly opened one, Jon closed it, and opened another where the Marshal could see. Sasha and Martin watched curiously, following the movement of the kitten nervously. </p><p>“Isn’t that going to hurt if she gets one?” Martin seriously wondered if they should stock up the first aid kit with more than what was there.</p><p>“Oh it absolutely will.” Jon let out a nervous laugh, but his Eyes looked almost as excited as the kittens. “It’s worth it to see the look in her eyes before the pounce.” </p><p>“This might as well be our life.” Tim emerged from the break room holding a sandwich, just looking at a kitten trying to hunt an eye on Jon’s neck. </p><p>--</p><p>Throughout the week, there was only one time when they all knew exactly where the Marshal was, and that was when Jon was recording. After the first day in the archives, she would take naps on the recorders while they were recording Jon. She would purr contently with the whirling sounds. </p><p>The other odd thing she would do, as Tim found out, was she would find any of the other tape recorders laying about, and when she found them, they were almost always on. Tim wasn’t too fond of the fact that there were more tape recorders going off than any of them even knew. Jon apologized cause apparently he Knew, but couldn’t control them in any way. So Jon would collect them about once a week and place them in a drawer to record over the following week. </p><p>Jon tried to destroy them at first, but it took way too much energy to do and caused quite a bit of discomfort, that Jon tried to record over them rather than destroying. And it seemed to do the trick, since apparently to the Beholding, recording over didn’t quite count as destruction of knowledge. Either that or Jon was too into the statements to feel the pain of destroying it. So he’d been doing that for about 6 months now and it fell into the “not hiding, just kind of forgot you didn’t Know” list of Jon’s weird antics. </p><p>The Marshal also didn’t like Elias. He’d come down to scold Jon for bringing a cat into the Archives, trying to keep some semblance of control as Jon’s boss, and the Marshal went straight for his face. Jon thoroughly enjoyed the thought that a kitten could dethrone Elias by scratching his eyes out, but unfortunately, it had been tried in the past any they healed to fast to sever any connection to the Beholding. </p><p>Basira sent texts throughout the week reminding Jon the kitten was supposed to be a reminder to go home at night. Normally after he and Daisy had exchanged cat photos and Basira noticed the timestamps with Marshal in the archives. </p><p>The week flew by rather quickly, and Martin was getting more nervous as the weekend approached. He had a poem ready, but he wasn’t sure how he had let Jon convince him to do a reading of it. He should have caved and agreed to go to the space center. But he was being stubborn. It was too late to change out the plans. Jon probably wouldn’t have any complaints if Martin backed out, but Martin wanted to go. He just didn’t want to read. </p><p>He wiggled a loose string for the Marshal while he went over the poem in his head. She had it so easy. Not a worry in the world. Just cat things like chase string, eyeball whack-a-mole, and sleep. Martin really enjoyed that she liked the recorders. He did too. Some of the memories he’d gotten, he remembers them keeping him company. It was frustrating at times, but he knows future him was thankful for them. He wonders if he ever told Jon about that in the future. Maybe he would bring it up on their date. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Kitten is Air Cheif Marshal cause 4 star ranked so she has the same rank as the Admiral. Admiral is in charge of water affairs, and Marshal had the sky covered. (unintended parallel is the fact that the Beholding watches from the sky and she's got little eye patterns.)</p><p>Bit of a shorter chapter with pure kitten fluff. coulda been longer, but I ended up doodling some drawings of the Marshal and Jon that I'll probably toss into the notes tomorrow</p><p>Jon playing eyeball whack-a-mole with Marshal fills me with so much joy. he can be monstrous with his small, and she doesn't care at all. </p><p>Tomorrow is date night for the boys. and I'm excited to share the hot mess. &gt;:3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Martin’s guide to dating a fear avatar pt1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Martin, we have to go…” Jon never realized, well maybe he thought about it, but he didn’t really consider the effects an event where people’s greatest fear at the moment would be <em>stage fright</em>. The fear of being seen, laying yourself bare before a crowd of strangers that will see and judge you. Everything out in the open. The Beholding was buzzing behind all his eyes. </p><p>Jon wanted to stay for Martin, but he also wanted to Watch. He didn’t want to appear in any poets' dreams, and he could already tell he would if he stayed. There were a few that were radiating fear. He wasn’t even that hungry being he had two live statements just little over a week ago. This was a buffet of fear, and it would be so easy to break the rules he had set.  </p><p>“That first poem wasn’t so bad.” Martin didn’t get it. Everything had been going so well so far. And Jon looked like he enjoyed that first poem. </p><p>“I was enjoying it. That's the problem…” Jon whispered back, opening a small Eye on his neck hoping Martin would get why Jon enjoyed it. Luckily the first poet wasn’t afraid enough to leave a mark, and this next one prepping didn’t seem to be either. </p><p>“Oh -OH. Yeah. Of course. I gotta let someone know I’ll be leaving. I’ll meet you outside?” </p><p>Jon nodded and gathered his coat and hurried out, so as not to seem rude when the new poet took the stage. Live shows were off the list for dates. </p><p>--</p><p>“Want to talk about it?” Martin took Jon’s hand when meeting up with him outside. </p><p>“What’s there to talk about?” Jon sounded tired. Martin figured he’d probably spent the last 10 minutes while waiting for Martin berating himself or coming up with a giant mess of guilt about not being person enough or something.</p><p>“Well, We could talk about how this isn’t your fault. Cause knowing you, you’re blaming yourself.” Jon hummed in response to that. “Or we are already ready for a date, we could just change locations for it. Someplace that won’t be hard on you? The night is young yet.” Martin gripped a little tighter on Jon’s hand. Something about holding Jon’s right hand made Martin happy. Though holding hands was new, holding the right, unscared, one felt especially so.</p><p>“The night is always young if you don’t sleep.” Jon returned the grip and leaned into Martin. </p><p>“Oh, if that’s all it takes, I don’t know why I never thought of it.”  </p><p>“I’m happy to help.”</p><p>“I bet.” Martin kept his tone dry before giving into the chuckle. “So, since amateur performances are a bust, want to check out if there are any art exhibits in the area or maybe we could find a nice restaurant? I didn’t get to enjoy the pre-show meal like you did before we left.” </p><p>“Martin...it wasn’t-”</p><p>“No. Jon, that was a joke. I’m not blaming you at all.” Jon made a noise of protest. “You know it doesn’t bother me.”</p><p>“I don’t Know that.” </p><p>Martin groaned. “Am I going to have to make you Ask me. Like really ask me so we can work past your moping?”</p><p>“I’m not moping….”</p><p>“Then ask me if I mind. Or trust that I’m not lying to you so we can continue our lovely romantic night. Gotta be able to have something to gossip about on Monday. You know they feed off gossip like you do fear, right?”</p><p>That got a laugh out of Jon. Martin beamed.</p><p>“You’re right. I trust you. And we can’t let them starve from not being able to live vicariously through our romance.” </p><p>“Good. Now, let's get a meal in us. We can make further plans for our night while waiting on food.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for the short chapter &gt;////&lt;) I burnt my hand while cooking and writing so it's gunna be a two-parter cause I only got half of what I want to have written for the update and the back log chapters don't link well without the other bit I wanted to type up.</p><p>Hilariously I blame the desolation taking nice things away since I was making a point in this chap that it doesn't have a mark on Jon now =w=) tho I know it was my own hubris that is the cause. it's not bad, but also not great. I'll spare the details, but will probably be a delay of a day or two at most till the next chapter goes up. gotta let it heal a bit</p><p>Thanks for all the comments and enjoying this so far! see you all in a day or so~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Martin’s guide to dating a fear avatar pt2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon never figured either first date meal would be bar food after almost sucking the fear out of new stage performers. Not that it was a problem, the food was good enough, just unexpected. On their way to a restaurant, they’d passed a pub that was doing couples trivia night. The way Martin’s eyes lit up when they both saw the sign, Jon knew they would be cheating their way to the top 3. </p><p>“Jon, this would be a perfect first date. We could win and be all ‘Oh gosh, we thought this would be a fun way to get to know each other more intimately on our first date, who woulda thought we would make it this far’ kinda thing.” </p><p>“You want people to coo over us being a perfect match on a first date, when we’ve known each other for years? I would have to try to lose at trivia, not try to win.” </p><p>“Yes. I want everyone to see my adorable know it all, literally, boyfriend. I want to brag to a room full of strangers.”  Martin held tight on Jon’s hand and pleaded with his eyes. “Please Jon?”</p><p>“Well, when you put it that way…” Jon could feel the blood rushing in his system faster than normal. Martin was the adorable one, but he wasn’t going to fight that. “Alright. We will aim for second place though. Unless you know the answer to the questions I was planning on getting wrong. Deal?” </p><p>“We can work out the details inside. Don’t want to miss registration.” Martin led the way. </p><p>“Would be a shame to miss.” Jon followed along grinning like an idiot at Martin’s excitement. Not questioning for the first time, just how willing Martin was to break rules. It was a fond questioning, thinking of all the times Martin would just do what he wanted to meet the end goal of a happy end on his terms. </p><p>---</p><p>Martin eagerly signed the two of them up, telling the lady at the registration table a small tale of how their original plans for the first date ended up falling through because of a conflict in the restaurant they originally booked. And how stumbling on this was such a nice surprise. She smiled at the two of them. </p><p>“My, that was awfully lucky then. Otherwise we wouldn’t have such a cute couple joining. You made it just before the entry cut-offs too.”</p><p>“Wow, that is quite lucky then!” </p><p>“What would you like your team name to be?”</p><p>Jon and Martin looked at each other as if they wanted the other to pick. </p><p>“Hmm, how about Spooky Google.” Martin almost couldn’t finish saying it without laughing. </p><p>“Oh, absolutely not.” Jon was barely keeping a straight face. “You aren’t allowed to name things. Put us down as the Marshal’s #1 fans.”</p><p>“You are going to let your kitten down if we lose?” Martin teased. </p><p>“Only if you can’t compliment what I know.” Jon looked Martin right in the eyes and let a small glow to them for a moment, getting a good “pfft” from Martin. </p><p>The lady smiled as she took note of the name Jon said. She was going to go with Martin’s before hearing about the kitten involved. Kitten won her mental vote. “Aren’t you both adorable. Young love is always so sweet. Let me lead you both to a table. Follow me.” </p><p>They nodded, and with still linked hands, they followed her to their table. A waiter came by few minutes later and took their orders. Jon did end up ordering some food, Martin was worth it. They also got some alcohol to compliment the food since they were at a pub anyway. </p><p>“I’ve meant to ask this for a while, can you even get drunk? With your system being the way it is?”</p><p>“Yes. It doesn’t last as long so I imagine it would be costly to keep me there.”</p><p>“Is that way you’ve turned down after-work drinks with the group unless Georgie drags you?”</p><p>“No. It’s been entirely my own nerves getting in the way. I-” Jon's eyes drifted away from Martin. “I’m a bit of an emotional drunk once I get there, and I didn’t want to unleash that on you.” </p><p>“Unleash? Like, become a bawling mess from how much you love us all?” </p><p>“Exactly.” </p><p>“Oh Jon.” Martin tugged on Jon’s hand from across the table to get him to look him in the eyes again. “You know this means that next friday is going to be a group challenge, probably with Tim leading the charge.” He let out a snicker as Jon lovingly sighed. </p><p>“I suppose that is probably how he will react after fill them in about tonight hm?”</p><p>Martin grinned. “Oh yes. But that’s matters for Monday. “</p><p>The trivia host went to the mic. “Ladies And Gents, Welcome To Friday Trivia. Hope All The Happy Couples Are Excited To Test Their Bonds Under Such Extraneous Terms.” </p><p>Jon let out a tiny groan when seeing the host. </p><p>“We’ve Got 15 Lovely Couples Joining Us!” The energy the host had on the stage was almost uncanny enough it unsettled Martin a bit. Jon’s sigh didn’t give him much confidence in the matter until Jon looked on with a resigned smile. </p><p>“For Round One, The Topic Will Be An Easy One, Don’t Want To Have People Getting Too Nervous Before We Are All Warmed Up. Everyone Get Their Papers Ready! The First Round Is Theater!”</p><p>Jon had a strategy of he would answer all the odd questions, and Martin was in charge of the even questions for the first round, then second round, Martin would only be in charge of the questions that were prime numbers, then as the rounds progressed, Jon would take on more of the questions. His hope would be that it wouldn’t look like they were cheating, and more that the tougher stuff was something he or Martin had strange hobbies.</p><p>Least that was his hope. Round 1 was a hit for them. Jon never knew that Martin had an interest in theater, which from Martin’s explanation, it was more he enjoyed English class quite a lot. Where he found his love for theater. </p><p>Second round was Animal Kingdom facts. Followed by a round of Hollywood trivia, then Sports. Martin was happy the sports came up while Jon was taking more of the answers, cause neither of them knew anything about the topic really. Martin was curious if Jon Knew the line up and worked it out that way, as the three questions Martin got were simple enough he could at least guess based on what he’d overheard people talking about at work. </p><p>By the last round, Martin was convinced that Jon had Known all the planned questions because the last round, the only answer Martin knew was the question he was landed with. For all Jon’s griping, he really did want to be in first, didn’t he?</p><p>“Alright Couples! Time To Share The Scores! Bring Them On Up!” The Host gestured in a very animated manner, feeding the room with an excited buzz. </p><p>After a few minutes of tallying on the staff's end, the host returned to the stage, her face a-light. “We Have A Tie For First Place Between The Marshal’s #1 Fans And Team Spicy Poets. You Four Ready For A Sudden Death Round Of Trivia, Come On Up!”</p><p>Jon got up and held his hand to Martin, while a couple in the table near them also got up. Jon whispered in Martin’s ear that this round was all Martin’s and he was going to pretend to not Know. “Don’t let the marshal down, love.” was a finish to the whisper Martin wasn’t expected and it caused his ears to burn. </p><p>“Look At These Happy Pairs. The Organizers Have Also Informed Me That They Are Both Couples Here On Their First Dates. How Truly Romantic!” </p><p>The other couple grinned, their smiles filtered through young love, and Jon and Martin radiated the comfort of feeling safe. </p><p>“So In The Nature Of Love, This Tie Breaking Question Will Be Love Based! Who Was The Poet That Wrote ‘How Do I Love Thee’. Please Include The Full Name Of Them In Your Answer.”</p><p>Jon grinned at Martin, while the other couple did a little bit of whispered talk. </p><p>In the end, Martin wrote ‘Elizabeth Barrett Browning’ while the other team had the first name wrong. </p><p>“Congrats To The Happy Couple! As With Tradition, First Place Tab Is Covered, And Second And Third While Have A Round On The House! Thank You All For Joining Us!” With that the host made a rather dramatic exit from the stage. </p><p>Martin and Jon returned to their table, Martin looking rather proud. “Won for the Marshal.”</p><p>“Indeed you did. You didn’t need me to Know for you.”</p><p>“I would have been lost with some of those rounds. Besides, you’ve got to have some fun with all the doom and gloom in return for having to nibble on fear all the time.”</p><p>“This was rather fun. I’ll admit. I wouldn’t mind doing it again. Probably not as a date night next time. But with everyone.” </p><p>“If we had the others, you know our team name will be spooky google. Tim really loves pulling that one on you.”</p><p>“I know. And I’m willing to accept my fate if you promise not to let Tim know what I’m about to tell you.”</p><p>“Sounds serious, so I promise.” </p><p>“It’s rather comforting that you all don’t fear me. That Joking about everything still comes naturally and not necessarily as a coping method.  I don’t mind Spooky Google as much as I give the impression of. But only from you, and No you can’t use it as a pet name!”</p><p>Martin took Jon’s hand again and smiled warmly. He was about to say something when the Host from the Trivia night approached their table. </p><p>“Oh Jon, I Must Say, Archivist Is Such A Good Look On You.” Up close something about how she moved unsettled Martin, while Jon seemed unaffected.</p><p>“Hello Nikki. You are looking, rather Stranger than I remember.”</p><p>“Thank You! I’m Glad You Noticed Finally, Though I Was Thinking About Changing Soon!” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Finger is waay better after a day’s rest~ Desolation didn't win this round~</p><p>I've uploaded the spin off of this, which will probably be all fluff knowing me and Oc's. Should've called it apocalypse honey moon, but I'm stilling with my tape theme. </p><p><a href="https://ventisettestars.tumblr.com/post/630564602252558336/drawing-for-a-magnus-archive-fic-ive-been-working">Also I drew a picture of Jon and Marshal napping. </a>(if link doesn't work, please refresh.) </p><p>Thanks for reading!!</p>
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<a name="section0027"><h2>27. encounter of a strange kind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tw and glitch text translation in the end notes</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Martin looked nervously at Nikola then back to Jon. “Jon, what’s going on?”</p><p>“This is an old friend from my uni days. Nikola, this is Martin. Martin, this is Nikola.” Jon sounded rather pained to say the next part. “She is also an Avatar.”</p><p>“Wait, what, like right spooky Avatar?? Like you or like…?” </p><p>“Yes. Like me. Well not quite, she is of the Stranger. But she isn’t as unhinged as Rayner for example.” Hm, maybe that was a bit of a stretch, she was the leader of the crew that filled a museum with human skin. There was a tinge of something deep down that he knew he should care more. While it was messed up, it seemed like such a smaller scale compared to the suffering of the future that the unknowing seemed somehow- his thoughts were cut off by Martin. </p><p>“S-so you’ve just casually been hanging out with-”</p><p>“What, no. No, I had no idea she was of the Stranger back then.”</p><p>“You Really Should Have Though. I’ve Never Kept It Quite That I’m Made Of Plastic.”</p><p>“I suppose I should’ve. But to be fair, you probably enjoyed us not believing you.”</p><p>“Oh I Did. But I Enjoyed Everyone Too Much To Make A Meal, And You All Stopped Being Scared Pretty Early On.” She smiled with a grin that Martin was unsure if it could be considered joy or if suffering would’ve been better. </p><p>“Well. Good to have that out in the open. I’ll do my best to reciprocate. I do apologize for any questions. I do have one right off the bat, would you mind?”<br/>
 <br/>
“Not At All!” </p><p>“Is there something immediate or could we meet up later to catch up? I’m sort of on a date?”</p><p>“OOOH Yes, That's Right. I Came Over To Congratulate You Are You Win And Wanted To Tell You I Never Expected That Of You.” Nikola giggled. “Mr.Never Plays Dirty. Also I Do Have Some Business I’d Like To Discuss. But You Are On A Date, With A Very Cute Fellow Might I Ad. Good For You.” </p><p>“I’m free on Sunday afternoon if you would like to meet up. I’ve got the same number if you want to text me a location.” </p><p>“Lovely!” She pulled out her phone and Jon’s went off. “This Will Be So Much Easier Than Kidnapping You.”</p><p>“I would hope so. That sounds like it would be unpleasant for the both of us.” Jon appeared calm, but Martin could feel Jon’s leg fidgeting under the table. </p><p>“Well, Enjoy The Rest Of Your Night Boys.” Nikola bowed and made her exit in a far more than extra manner, much like when she exited the stage earlier. </p><p>“What was that all about?”</p><p>“Sorry. She’s a bit on the odd side. Never been good at reading the room. So many things from uni make sense now.”</p><p>“Wait, when did you notice she wasn’t human?”</p><p>“Hmm, when she got on stage?” Jon gave a shrug. “Never thought to Look, and by the time she and I interacted in the future timeline, it looks like she’d already gotten that new skin she mentioned so I didn’t notice it wasn’t her anymore. And with how the stranger works, it really wasn’t her either. Not in a way I would’ve been able to notice.” He buried his face in his hands. “I really should’ve realized her name was a giveaway. Specially when she was mentioned in statements.”</p><p>Martin let out a chuckle. “So you see your old friends in statements and still didn’t put 2 and 2 together? What, did you think it was a common name?”</p><p>“Yes. Actually. I feel like the first time I met Nikola after I joined the institute, I never even made a jump to connect her to my old friend. When she actually kidnapped me, I was in a bad place.” Jon sighed. “Least going to be able to avoid that.”</p><p>“Oh, OH.” Martin looked like he remembered something. He did vaguely remember the time where Jon was missing and then came back after being held. “Then that bit of time when you were, that was the Stranger?” Jon nodded. </p><p>“Got some memories of that time?”</p><p>“A few. Mostly just fights, then finding some…” Martin looked around nervously cause he didn’t want to say it out loud. </p><p>“Yeah. Exactly. Should probably grab that now that I think about it. Storage is probably less safe than other places.” Jon paused for a moment. “Hm we can deal with that on Monday.”</p><p>“Hmmm you are deflecting the conversation now.” Martin’s voice wasn’t accusing, he was rather happy for the change in topic, but also didn’t know what to jump to, now that work stuff got brought up. It always seemed so urgent when that happened, save for the fact Jon seemed to think everything was much less a deal than it was. Well, knowing the future, Martin supposed maybe that was the case. </p><p>“You caught me. It seems to have worked well enough.” </p><p>“I suppose. I’ll be bringing this up later.”  </p><p>“I’m sure. Shall we enjoy this meal on the house courtesy of the Beholding and your poetic know how?”</p><p>The two of them laughed a little and continued to make something close to small talk for the rest of their night. Jon walked Martin home, and at the door, Martin stopped and stared at Jon.</p><p>“This is going to be mighty cliche, since technically- first date and all. But. Could I kiss you?” </p><p>“Cliches get that name for a reason, Martin.” Jon reached out and gently pulled Martin in for a quick kiss. “It’s the perfect time for a first kiss.” </p><p>Martin forgot how to form words. </p><p>Jon didn’t seem as starstruck, but calm wouldn’t quite explain his expression. “I’ll see you Monday?”</p><p>“Y-yeah! See you Monday.” Martin’s voice came back. Did Jon actually compel him to snap him out of it or did it just feel that way? “Good luck with the thing on Sunday. Text me before and after? Just so I know you are okay and it didn’t become another kidnapping?”</p><p>“Of course. I’ll let you know, and probably have some information to share.” Jon gave Martin’s hand a quick squeeze before letting go. “Goodnight Martin.”</p><p>“Night Jon.” </p><p>--</p><p>Sunday came too soon for Jon. He wasn’t prepared to talk with Nikola. He gave Marshal some quick pets before leaving for the cafe that Nikki had sent him. It was a small place that didn’t get a lot of foot traffic, and he Knew the owner was part of the Stranger. Gosh they were everywhere. Jon had to work at not Knowing anymore about them. Would be bad to offend them before he even got there. </p><p>Nikola was waiting outside of the cafe, and practically glowed she saw him. “You Made It!”</p><p>“Hey. Hope you weren’t here long.”</p><p>“Pssh. Not To Worry. Time Isn’t Real.” </p><p>“Too true.” Jon followed her in. </p><p>They both ordered a drink and things were quiet for a bit, before Jon asked. “So, would you like to do some catching up, or jump right into business.”</p><p>“Hmm. Depends On You. Are You The Archivist Or Are You Jon?” </p><p>“I suppose I’m the Archivist at the moment. I’ve been incredibly curious about what you wanted to discuss.” Jon wasn’t really all that sure of the difference nowadays, but in an earlier time, it would’ve mattered more. </p><p>“Lovely! I Was Hoping You Would Be The Archivist. I Have So Many Questions For You! Do You Mind If I Ask Them? I Really Hope You Don’t.”</p><p>“I can’t promise satisfying answers, but ask away.” </p><p>“Do You Know What Your Predecessor With Did The Skin? You Know The One.”</p><p>“I do. Unfortunately, you will be unable to use it. She was rather, inconsiderate, when storing it.”</p><p>Nikola didn’t look like she liked the answer. “I- That’s Not Ideal.”</p><p>“No. I figure it rather isn’t.”</p><p>“Where Could I Find A Replacement That Holds So Much Power…” Her eyes drifted to The Archivist.</p><p>“I’m not a good option to consider. I doubt you cold skin me in a way that would stay.”</p><p>Her cheery expression returned as though a switch was flipped on. “It Was A Thought, But I Guess You Are Right. If You Were Still New Enough To Die, You Would Have Made A Lovely Skin. Would You Like To Attend As A Dancer? Witness The New World From Front Row? ”</p><p>“Thanks for the invitation. I’ll let you know in a bit after I do some thinking.” The Archivist pondered how differently it would be to watch rather than be in the thick of it. Maybe follow the Circus as they separate, disappointed and afraid their ritual would never succeed as the Watcher's eyes follow. He could follow them and help Tim get his revenge in a much safer way than blowing up an entire building and risking everything. Would it be just as satisfying for Tim?</p><p>“That’s A Nice Look In Your Eye. You Really Do Wear The Archivist Better Than Jon.” </p><p>The Archivist had to remind himself that it was the Stranger’s nature to unsettle and confuse. This cafe was probably amplifying the effect.</p><p>“Thank you. Do you mind me asking why you think that?” There was a little bit of compulsion in the question, but seeing as it was asking if she minded, rather than asking why, it would be the least offensive as possible. </p><p>“Hmm I Don’t Mind I Think?” She paused for a moment when the owner placed cups in front of them. Nikki’s cup was empty, but she raised it as though to smell tea while it cooled. </p><p>“Maybe It’s That D’ville’s Better Parts Shine Through You, Or Could Be That You Are More Comfortable To Talk With? Since Both The Archivist And Nikola Know The Beauty In Fear While I Think Jon Would Loathe This Conversation? Even When Everyone Thought It Was Stage Play, Jon Knew Some Truth.”</p><p>The Archivist laughed, somewhat bitterly. “Maybe enough to be unsettled, but didn’t understand. Not truly back then.”</p><p>“That Is Enough My Dear Archivist. You Wanting To Know Thoroughly, That Shine Of Need. Why I Think This Look Fits You Much Better.”</p><p>Talking with the Stranger was just as bad as with the Distortion. They really had a way of breaking down identity. Nikki had always been that way too. Sometimes with her around, it was so easy to get lost in the stage personas. She encouraged it by never breaking character, which The Archivist knows now was more she never got into character. They never gave Toy Soldier any scripted lines for shows cause they know she would stick to the plot perfectly in character. </p><p>“So Archivist, Is It True That You Know Everything? Could You Point Me To The Perfect Skin For My Dance?” Changing the topic without waiting a beat was a skill of hers. He’d always enjoyed it back in college that she didn’t do small talk. </p><p>“I don’t know everything, just close to it. I could locate a skin if it was ready. I’m afraid at the moment, there isn’t a good candidate.” </p><p>Nikki pouted. “Oh That's No Good. Would You Tell Me When?”</p><p>“I can’t see the future, but...” The Archivist paused and thought, his eyes glowing as he dug deep. “There are some candidates. But if I’m going to help you, then I need something in return.” His eyes remained glowing as he finally took a sip of the coffee he’d ordered, Knowing it was the perfect temperature. </p><p>“Depends. Let Me Hear What You’d Like.” </p><p>“Don’t change your skin until after the Unknowing. That's it.” </p><p>Her smile faded entirely, her cup placed on the table with a clatter. “You Realize What You Are Asking Of Me.”</p><p>“I do. Is the ͕̊p̖͂e̱̅r̻͑f̮̀ec̮̅t̺̙̅͝ ̻̘̌͠s̨͆k̰̱̳̔̕̚i̥̚n̬̒ wo̬̔ṙ̜̖̝̅͢͝͡t͚̹͇͑͠h̻̼͑̾ i̼̖̮͇͆̿̈̂t̨̜̦̼͍̔̊̐̑̕?̛̙̭̮̟̗͊̂̂͑”</p><p>The Archivist realized as the question came out, it didn’t even bother him. He was slipping. </p><p>“Yes. I’ve Been Waiting So Long For This Opportunity I Can Endure This.” The words were ripped out of her before she could resist. She almost missed Jon in that moment as she stared at the being that lacked Jon’s eyes. “That Was Rude.”</p><p>“No hard feelings. I’ll keep an eye out for you. I know exactly what you need, but do let me know if you change your mind at any point.” The Archivist looked to the clock. “I have a feeling both you and I have been spending too long together, our natures are starting to clash. You feeling too known, and me too willing to let go. So, what do you say, you and I make plans to hang out in a week or so, not for business, but for some good old fashion human time with old friends. I’ve been in touch with Basira and Georgie lately, I’m sure they would be excited to see Nikki again.” </p><p>Nikola glared for a moment. Her switch to happy was a bit delayed. “Probably Not A Bad Plan, Archivist. I Am Feeling Rather Tired After Talking. Nikki Would Have A Wonderful Time Catching Up, But Only If It’s Jon.”</p><p>He nodded with a smile, finishing the coffee quickly. “I’ll make a chat group a bit later today and add you to it. Remember, no changing skins or the deal is off. I’ll Know if you take Nikki off even temporarily.” </p><p>“i’m sure you would.” </p><p>The Archivist got up, leaving money for the coffee on the table and walked out without another word to her. Once he was about a block away, he started taking deep breaths. That interaction didn’t count as a mark. For a moment when he lost himself, well lost his sense of Jon, he had the thought, but no. That wasn’t fear, it was normal. A Mark from the Stranger would need to be something deeper. Losing sense of Jon was something that happened anytime he took a statement, or if he slept too long. </p><p>This was normal for the Archivist. For the Archive. Slipping was easy. </p><p>Few more deep breaths and he got out his phone. </p><p>“Hello, Jon. How’d it go?” Martin’s voice on the other end was nervous. Jon noticed Martin was pacing in his kitchen when he opened an Eye on Martin. </p><p>Jon let out a noise of relief as his mind started to settle at Martin’s voice, and the way he said his name: Jon. </p><p>“It went both better and worse then I figured it would. Is it alright if I come over to talk about it? I think there are some parts that I might need to leave out when telling everyone tomorrow.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>TW: Stranger identity stuff, skin talked about like clothes rather than well skin?</p><p>Glitch text: Is the perfect skin worth it?<br/>--</p><p>Stranger gets into Jon's head. I feel like it's mostly cause he tries to be polite and not Know them enough to keep himself stable cause it would hurt Nikki if he were to do that. They are both going to have to work out a nice balance to keep from influencing one too far in either direction. I figure in the future it didn't affect him at all cause Eye wouldn't let him stray, even if it hurt the Stranger. </p><p>Also pretty sure he would be desensitized enough when it comes to dealing with other avatars that s2 Jon would lose his mind at who he became xD</p>
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<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Life continues on</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was harder for Jon to talk about than he thought it would be. Not because it was morbid and his identity felt slippery, but there wasn’t any guilt he felt like he should be feeling. Feeling guilty for not being guilty felt too much like before when he was first Becoming. Before when he was hiding his feeding habits. He was almost expecting the same treatment, like this was the final straw, and he would find himself alone in his office again. Like the last 6 months has just been a nice dream among the nightmares. </p><p>Martin was definitely taking this differently than Jon figured he would as they sat next to each other on Martin’s couch. Martin didn’t seem flustered or upset in any way, just looked at Jon calmly taking it all in. </p><p>“I’m sorry, this is a lot to drop on you out of nowhere. I just don’t want to hide anything from anyone, but how am I supposed to tell Tim about how easy it was to talk with Nikola…”</p><p>“Well. Just don’t then.” Martin looked sternly at Jon’s shocked response. “Just because you are a Being of Terrible All-Knowing doesn’t mean you can’t have secrets.”</p><p>“But last-”</p><p>“Nope. I’m not budging with this. If we can have secrets, then you can too. You’ve overshared to no end, and if you have something you don’t want to share, you can have that.”</p><p>“Even if I meant what I said to her? How it was easy to find a replacement for their ritual, about helping her locating it once ready, and potentially taking her up on her invitation to watch.” Jon looked pained saying it and Martin let out a sigh. </p><p>“Yes. Of course, you would want to watch the ritual. Your curiosity is insatiable, especially when you have access to blind spots the Eye can’t look into. No one can fault you for that. It’s such an endearing trait of yours. Besides, you mentioned helping her would decrease victims, right?”</p><p>Jon nodded. “Either through shaving off a year or two, or convincing her to hold off on preparations, like convincing her they are starting preparations too soon, there would be at least several dozens of people that wouldn’t get sk- ...get their form of invitation to join in...”</p><p>“Exactly. It’s better for you to be involved, keep it from getting out of control, or by getting it over with so it can fail and we can move on. I know you’ve been working hard at building trust, especially after the whole future thing coming to light.” Marten reached over to Jon and pulled him into a cuddle. “You’ve got to trust that you won’t be abandoned by us. It’s not like last time.”</p><p>Jon didn’t resist and snuggled into Martin. “I-I really want to trust that. I do. It’s just hard. Normally it’s not bad like this, but when talking with Nikola, it felt like, I was less me and more-”</p><p>“If you say the word, I’m telling.” Martin’s smile could be heard laced in the words. </p><p>“Oh come on. I wasn’t going to say like a monster. I mean yes, I can see how you could predict that being the next word I guess.”</p><p>“Good. Continue then.”</p><p>Jon paused. “I forgot now.”</p><p>“Shame then. Looks like you will need to stop moping.”</p><p>“I am Not moping. It's very valid concerns.”</p><p>“They are valid, but I’m telling you, it’ll be okay. Trust me when I say this. I don’t have to have been there to understand what happened.”</p><p>Jon raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“Well, I’ve got a handful of memories from when we were exploring and making friends. I know a bit about how you interact with other Avatars. Sure I’m assuming a little bit, but when you say you weren’t acting like yourself, it sounds more like you were relaxed in a different way, with a side of stranger induced paranoia.”</p><p>“Hm...that’s a sound point…”</p><p>“Indeed.”</p><p> “How do you do that?”</p><p>“Do what?”</p><p>“That thing, where you see me. Like in a way I can’t begin to understand. And make it so simple.”</p><p>“It is simple. Least for me. And when it’s not simple, we can work it out.” Martin reassured Jon with a look that Jon recognized from all the times in the future. </p><p>“Fine. You’re right. It is fairly simple. I’m still telling everyone about Nikki tho. T-to warn them a Stranger might drop by from time to time. I remember her well enough to know human things come even less to her than me. She hasn’t been human since 1823 so hard to know how she will interpret a friendship with The Archivist.” </p><p>“Wow, she looks great for her age. Good for her. Bet dermatologists hate her.” </p><p>Some of Jon’s neck eyes opened to stare at how not funny Martin’s comment was before he started to snicker a bit. </p><p>Martin grinned wide, joining in the snickering. </p><p>“So tell Tim you made friends with a Stranger and leave it at that?”</p><p>“I might mention it’ll get us details on the Circus' movement, but everything else will be between you and I.” </p><p>“Sounds good then. With that settled, shall I walk you home? I don’t want to part ways yet, but you got a little critter that is probably looking for some attention.”</p><p>“She is napping, but I’m sure she would enjoy some company if you wanted to stay for a while after. Could order some dinner and watch a movie?”</p><p>“Oooh, Are you asking me on another date? I’ll have two dates to talk about tomorrow.”</p><p>“You could let me gossip about tonight's date, you can have the first. See how long it takes them to figure out there were two rather than one?”</p><p>“Oh how devious. I like it.” Martin moved to get up, while taking Jon’s hand to lead him. </p><p>--</p><p>Monday Morning, Tim and Sasha were buzzing waiting for Jon and Martin. It was 9 and neither was in yet. </p><p>“Wanna place bets they come in together?” Sasha looked up from her statement that she was making no progress on.</p><p>“Tim, you know their date was on Friday. That would mean they spent the entire weekend together?”</p><p>“They apparently spent the entire apocalypse together. Jon is clingy. It’d be weird for him to give that up. Plus Martin wouldn’t say no.” </p><p>“Hmm we’re about to find out. I hear the Marshal’s bell. I put down: they come in together, but by coincidence, while you have they spent the whole weekend together. Loser has to clean the breakroom.”</p><p>“Deal.” Tim reached over to shake on it, when the door opened to reveal both Jon and Martin, with the Mashal on Jon’s shoulder.</p><p>“Morning.” Jon scratched under the Marshal’s chin. “What are you grinning about Tim?”</p><p>“Ha! I knew you would both be coming in together. Have a good weekend Boss?”</p><p>Martin’s face gave what Tim and Sasha could both assume was an answer to that, while Jon responded. “I did in fact. Had a lovely date and meet up with an old friend. Which to point out, the old friend might be stopping by at random. I have no control over when she might, so heads up, she is an Avatar of the Stranger. Well, off to have breakfast.” Jon hurried into his office, grabbing a statement on his way in. The door was closed behind him. </p><p>Tim and Sasha couldn’t digest all that, so they narrowed onto Martin, who was getting settled in at his desk. </p><p>“Sooo Details.” Sasha had gotten up and was leaning on Martin’s desk. “How’d poetry night go?”</p><p>“Oh well, it didn’t. Turns out live shows where people could have stage fright is like a buffet for Jon.”</p><p>“Rough start.” Tim looked sympathetic. </p><p>“Oh no. I mean yeah, but I didn’t have to go up there. We went for a walk, then ended up going to a pub for trivia. We won” Sasha laughed at that with a mumbling of ‘course you did’ while Tim rolled his eyes. “I helped. We set rules that he would only answer about half the questions, so it was up to me to get some answers right. We won, so dinner was on the house. We finished up with me reciting my poem to him while walking home. It was a wonderful time.”</p><p>“That sounds lovely.” Sasha smiled brightly. “No other juicy info, like I dunno, spending the entire weekend together and coming into work together?”</p><p>“W-what Sasha! I didn’t spend the whole weekend with him. He did kiss me goodbye in my doorway afterwards which was wonderful. -Wait, were you two betting on me and Jon again?!” Sasha scurried back to her desk while Tim looked defeated. </p><p>--</p><p>Tim walked into Jon’s office later in the day to drop off some work and grinned. “Heard you had a stellar date, boss.”</p><p>“It wasn’t the most eventful date. Just a nice night with some take out. We watched some American film that Georgie suggested.”</p><p>Tim looked confused. “Wait, Martin said the date was at a Pub.” </p><p>Jon smiled. “Was that all he said?” </p><p>“Wait wait wait, so when you both came in today…” Jon nodded.</p><p>“Yes, Martin fell asleep during the movie so I let him stay over. Seemed silly not to.”</p><p>“That li-”</p><p>“It wasn’t the whole weekend. He didn’t lie. To bad you already cleaned up.” Jon looked like he was having fun watching Tim put two and two together. </p><p>“Oh my god. You are both insufferable.” Tim left the papers on Jon’s desk and hurried out. “Sasha! We’ve been played! Martin did spend the night at Jon’s. They had two dates.” </p><p>Various sounds of emotions came from Sasha in the break room while Martin laughed from his desk. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Been enjoying fluff. Think it's out of my system &gt;.&gt; (tho who am I kidding, I love Martin and Jon talking about feelings.)</p><p>Got some plot stuff for tomorrow &gt;:3c</p><p>Thanks for all the comments! they fuel my soul~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. something forgotten</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon stared at the folder containing Carlos Vittery’s statement. He’d completely forgotten that he was already The Archivist when Vittery had come to leave his statement. He let out a sigh as two things came to mind. First being he could have taken the statement live, and given Vittery some sort of advice, or warned him the next time he saw the spider to not kill it. The second thought was he could’ve taken the statement live, gotten it fresh, with all the little extra details of fear. </p><p>He gave Marshal a little ear scratch. “I couldn’t have done anything, much as I would’ve wanted to. The Web always gets their way, and he’d offended it.” She let a little ‘merow’ chirp in response to the ear scratch, but it was nice to think she was agreeing with him. </p><p>This was the one that set everything into motion. Vittery had no idea what an integral part in Jon’s becoming the man had played. Well, maybe Jon was being dramatic. Vittery was just the unlucky man whose unfortunate death had helped pull aways the veil of ignorance. No, what set everything into motion was the day he accepted this job. But damn the Web and their dealings. </p><p>Might as well get this over with. He knew how the follow up of this went, so he could just add all the notes in without giving it to anyone. Call it good enough and move onto the next. No need for Martin to investigate, nor for Martin to have to relive the time he’d spent with Prentis. </p><p>Martin had told Jon during one of the times he’d stayed over, that he remembered the majority of the events from 2015-2017 as though they were just normal memories at this point. Some still blurry, but in Martin’s words ‘seriously fuck worms.’ Something about having them confirmed helped them solidify smoother was what they both guessed. Jon didn’t quite Know the effects like he wanted to, but Martin was confident he was okay. </p><p>Jon felt like he probably shouldn’t leave her to her own devices. She could still attack the institute. It was where she was going to try her ritual. Unless that was what Martin had interrupted gaining her wrath? She would’ve been in that basement for quite some time at this point. </p><p>“Hm, what do you think, should we try out if I can still smite without the Eye in the sky? It worked for Peter in the Lonely, but not sure if it would be the same...” Marshal did a little headbutt into Jon’s hand.</p><p>“Talking strategy meetings with the critter?” Martin stood in the doorway holding a few case files and a tape recorder. </p><p>Jon hummed in response. “I found Vittery’s case.”</p><p>Martin let out a bitter noise.</p><p>“Heh, yeah. Trying to figure out how to approach things. It’s tempting to try to recreate things so there is some semblance of a timeline. But also that is the last thing I’d want to do. Feel like she would be not as good of a test run than another avatar might be? Since if I fail, then I get eaten again by worms.”</p><p>“What about trying it on someone like Jude?”</p><p>Jon let out a snort of laughter. “Trade out worms for fire? I would for sure not survive Perry if it failed.”</p><p>Martin sat down and reached his hand out to summon the kitten for pets with that clicking noise. Which Marshal was all for. </p><p>“Probably not.”</p><p>“Its- I feel like I should be able to do it still, but it can’t be the same way. I can’t just call on the Eye to do it for me. I will have to be the one to Look and See them. Like with Peter I was angry at him, and just wanted him gone.”</p><p>“Well, could try and have some of us on the sidelines with extinguishers?”</p><p>Jon was about to say something when his desk phone went off. “Ah, one sec. Hello, Archives.” He picked up and immediately made a displeased face. “What do you want Elias.--- Wait you what? ---- Oh, of course you would. ---- I try to avoid looking at you if I can help it. --- I’m not thanking you.” Jon hung up the phone without saying anything more. </p><p>Martin looked up from the kitten that was hanging from his hand. “What he do?”</p><p>“Apparently Prentis wasn’t needed so he put an end to her himself because he ‘didn’t want to have to deworm his archives again.’ Since we both know repeating the incident won’t work for the ritual.” Jon reached out both his hands and made something of a gimmie motion for Marshal. Which Martin reached his arm over with kitten attached for Jon to claim.</p><p>“So he is going to look for a whole new form of corruption to traumatize you with.” Martin sounded like he would be willing to punch Elias the next time he saw him. Which, Jon found it rather humorous that Elias only communicated with them all through the phone lines. Quite the cowardly man.</p><p>“Probably. I might have to look into other Avatars in general and see which ones he’s got favors with. Maybe up my networking game…” The Mashal purred as she snuggled into Jon’s chest.</p><p>“You know I’m happy to help. Heck, we know a few who are probably chill with meeting you. Like Fern or Trish?”</p><p>“Yeah, I could. That would require so much traveling and socializing…” Jon clearly didn’t want to. </p><p>“I could be there with you. You wouldn’t be alone?”</p><p>“Hm… yeah I’ll consider it. For the moment we should prep for another how to mess up Elias meeting. Nikki mentioned she wanted to join the next one since she is still mad about his old Archivist destroying the skin. Something about how he should’ve kept a better ‘leash on her if he was going to let her go mad dog’, it didn’t make much sense to be honest. She probably was testing out wording from a movie she watched or something.”</p><p>Martin smiled. It’d been a few months at this point since Jon meet up with her again, and that tense start seemed to fizzle out nicely. Granted the two of them alone for more than an hour still rubbed them wrong, but they were constantly texting back and forth. Martin was curious about what they were talking about all the time, but it was Jon’s privacy. </p><p>“If she is coming, I’ll make sure to have some plastic food for her to enjoy.”</p><p>“Pfft What?”</p><p>“Well, at meetings we normally have snacks, but since she only pretends to eat, I’ll get her some pretend food so she isn’t just drinking air.”</p><p>Jon’s shoulders relaxed as he let out a lite laughter. “I’m sure she will love it.” </p><p>“I’ll even go all out and get the type with colors, and not just with sticker details.”</p><p>“Hm, she might enjoy the stickers.”</p><p>“Don’t ask her. I want to surprise her.”</p><p>“Okay. I’ll refrain from asking.” Jon sent a quick text asking when Nikki would be free to plan another 'fuck with Elias' meeting.</p><p>“Good. Mind if I use the company card?”</p><p>“I would expect it. Elias always funds the meetings. Nikki’s snacks included.”</p><p>“Hmm think I should grab a full dinner set? Make it a night event?”</p><p>“Not sure what her availability looks like, but she could always take it to go.” Jon pet Marshal a bit slower as the kitten started to fall asleep. </p><p>Martin laughed a bit. “Time to do some food shopping. Do you want me to grab you anything before I get back to work?” Martin pointed to the kitten as to say ‘since you can’t move’.</p><p>“I’m good. Thanks. Could you close the door? I figure might as well record this and file it away. “</p><p>Martin nodded, and got up to leave, but not before he took a quick detour to give Jon a quick kiss. </p><p>---</p><p>Meanwhile upstairs a rather upset lady was being checked in by Rosie. She was there to leave a statement, and while not quite in a hurry, she looked rather anxious. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So kinda funny about Vittery, I didn't notice that he would've been one of the first statements that came in with Jon being new head. so this chapter got a little bit reworked and pretty happy how it turned out ultimately. </p><p>while looking at a timeline break down, I noticed I got some dates wrong in the fic &gt;.&gt; Went back to change it up a bit (by like 10 days, but it woulda bugged me xD) If i’d left it, Gertrude might’ve still been alive when Jon took over.</p><p>also, am I using Elias as a convenient way so I can avoid worms. yes I am. I really don't like worms &gt;//v//&lt;);;;; this is the only good thing Elias will accomplish</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Statement of a familiar book</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TWs in the end notes</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>[<strong>click</strong>]</p><p>“A friend told me about this place. This is where people drop off their spooky tales right, and you save them from the things that stalk them? For like a price of shitty dreams or something?” The lady had been escorted in by Rosie to record a statement. </p><p>“That is one way of putting it. We investigate what you tell us, and contact you with follow up if you would like. We have a few papers for you to read ov-” Jon could taste something familiar in the air about her statement. But it wasn’t a statement yet, still just a seed of horror. </p><p>“Just hand them over. I don’t have a lot of time to bother reading the damn things. I know that they say. My friend told me something about after I talk to the archivist, <em>You</em>, I guess, that you’ll linger in my dreams all weird-like. She shared details when she told me about this place. Something about you have ‘stunning eyes’, so it’s not as bad as other things could be.” She took a breath to slow down. “And trust me, I got one of those other things.”</p><p>Jon was taken back a little bit, but smiled as he handed her the papers. He got verbal consent, but with the habit of paper trail, he didn’t want to go lax on it. “Alright. Thank you, Miss Murray.” </p><p>“Statement of Rebecca Murray, recorded direct from subject, 2nd of December, 2015. Whenever you are ready.”</p><p>“Right. So my brother passed away rather tragically a few years back. Its- I don’t believe the details are needed, but they do play a key roll in all this, so I'll get to it. It’s just hard to say out of context, ya know? I mean, he was my only sibling and while he was a pain in the but as siblings are, he didn’t deserve what happened. </p><p>“So he didn’t leave a will or anything, how could he have known, except while I was taking care of things in place of my mother -she was far too upset- I noticed everything looked as though he was prepared for it. All his bank accounts appeared to be settled, no outstanding payments on anything, all his items were already in storage, his flat lease expired days before the accident, it was like he was prepared to vanish.” She let out a nervous laugh. </p><p>“You can’t just plan that though was what I figured at the time. It left me unsettled, since what was he planning on? To be ready to vanish, then to die days after everything was set up for it. He couldn’t have known that the crane would fall, and he would be the only casualty. You can't plan for that kinda thing. <em>You just can't.</em> Least I thought at the time.</p><p>“It- I had nightmares for months afterwards. Completely unable to check out his things for almost a year. At this point it was maybe the summer of 2010? There was some paperwork I needed, I can’t even remember what, so I went to look through his things. There was a box of books, nothing of value, but there was a journal looking book. No title or anything except a note saying ‘<em>do not read</em>’. It looked like a beaten up dairy, maybe? So I opened it up to see if maybe it would have some sort of information about what he was thinking before the accident.   </p><p>“That was when I knew I had made a mistake. On the first page, there was a quote that read:</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>Life is a current which cannot be fought. It is a march with one destination. You cannot cease your step, nor move your course, to one that skirts the journey's termination.</em>
  </p>
  <p>“Then below it was written: ‘<strong><em>You have already read too much.</em></strong>’</p>
</blockquote><p>“I couldn’t stop though, and it was documenting all these horrible descriptions of death. I wanted to stop so bad, but then I got to the second to last part and saw the description of my brother’s death. In more detail than I would’ve ever wanted to know. </p><p>“I couldn’t make sense of it, then the next page had my own death in just as much detail.”</p><p>She looked like she was going to panic, so she paused for a moment. </p><p>“I- It was bad. But least it’s not going to happen. The entry changed every time I look. The first entries were missing dates, with some truly horrifying descriptions of endless landscapes of suffering as far as the <em>eye</em> could see. Each time I looked, the death changed, but it kept feeling like it was getting closer, but I have no way of knowing how I knew. Until a date showed up: 18th of October, 2018. Then from there, it would lose some 6 months or so.”</p><p>She reached into her messenger bag and pulled out two books. Both had been bound with rope as if it would keep them from opening. Jon’s blood ran cold at the sight of the one he couldn’t see the cover of, but Knew.</p><p>“I don’t know if this will help me at all by doing this, but the last time I looked, the entry for my death wasn’t gruesome, so I haven’t looked since. It simply said ‘8th of December, 2015. Become a guest for Mr.Spider.’  It didn’t make sense until this second book showed up in our donation bin at work yesterday.”</p><p>Jon stared at the book. So many thoughts running through his head, that if he wasn’t used to mentally multitasking terrors at all times, he would have probably freaked out externally.</p><p>“I mentioned it to my friend, hoping she would tell me I was being silly, cause I mean, it’s <em>just</em> two books, but she sent me to you instead.”</p><p>Rebecca looked to Jon with a face so tired and begging for help. </p><p>“Statement ends.” Jon didn’t take his eyes off the book as he continued speaking.</p><p>“You’ve found yourself in the possession of some rather dangerous books. Tieing them up was a good idea.”</p><p>“Yeah, I’ve had the one I got from my brother tied up for about 2 years now. And the other, was soon as I could get rope.” </p><p>“Mm. We can hang onto these, keep them locked up.” Jon doesn’t want to lie to her about her safety in the matter. If the books really want to claim someone, they have about as much power as an Avatar would. The fact it was Mr.Spider, and being delivered right to Jon, he was almost hoping this was a message rather than a death sentence for her, since both the End and the Web could be considered allies in preventing the Watchers Crown. So he continued to withhold that she might still end up dying on the 8th. If anything she could have a short ignorance her brother was denied. “They shouldn’t be bothering you from now on. We will do some follow up just to make sure and contact you around the 9th with anything we find, or don’t find.“</p><p>“The book says the 8th…”</p><p>“I know what it says, but long as it’s in my possession, contacting you on the 9th will not be a problem. I must warn you because of the nature of these entities, you will most likely read them in your dream, but they will have no power there, no matter how real they seem. It will not be every night either. So might be a few days until the first dream. The worst will probably be on the night before and after. I can make sure I’m there so you know it’s a dream.” </p><p>“Somehow hearing you say that, while it sounds absurd, its calming to know that I’ll have a way to know when it’s just me having a nightmare. My friend wasn’t kidding when she said her nightmares were better than the alternative. Do you need any more information from me?”</p><p>Jon smiled. “No. We should be all set. Do you need anything else from me?”</p><p>“Um...Maybe? What would have happened? With the other book. I didn’t open it cause I didn’t want to know…”</p><p>“You wouldn’t have been able to close it. And the other book would have gotten the date wrong.” </p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“Yeah.” </p><p>“Well. Okay. Um. M-my contact information is there, and I look forward to hearing from you on the 9th. See you around?” She tried to joke a little at that last part, but it came out as a choking sound rather than a laugh. </p><p>“I suppose you will. Here is my card in case you need anything. It has my personal number on it where I can be reached anytime. No time is too late. Martin will see you out while I take care of the books.”</p><p>As if on cue Martin knocked on the door before entering, with the Marshal riding on his shoulder. </p><p>“All wrapped up? Marshal was waiting by your door.” Once Martin got close enough to the desk, the kitten jumped down, rubbed on Rebecca’s hand, requesting pets. </p><p>“Yes. Would you lead Miss Murrey out? I’ve got some things to take care of.” Jon glanced to the books on his desk.</p><p>Martin nodded. “Right this way.” Rebecca got up after the little headbutt from the kitten and followed Martin out.</p><p>Jon waited till the door was closed to exhale the breath he didn’t notice he was holding. </p><p>“Well. Never thought I’d see this again. Plus the addition of the Book of the Dead.” Jon’s curiosity was on fire. He was planning on waiting til the 9th to investigate either books, to make sure they are tied and kept from Rebecca, and it if was a message from the Web, surely the Mother would’ve known that and wouldn’t fight it. If anything he was also expecting a visit on the 9th, but if not, he was going to greet Mr.Spider. Jon was certain of that fact. </p><p>But the Book of the Dead. What would Jon see when he looked? He knew he wasn’t beyond the reach of the End. Even in the future that was true. What would it show him if he looked?</p><p>The first entries she mentioned interested him. The ‘some truly horrifying descriptions of endless landscapes of suffering as far as the eye could see’ sounded like her original death was going to be after the Watcher’s Crown. Then if he had any doubts, the first date showing up. 18.8.2018. The last time ‘time’ had any meaning in Jon’s memory. </p><p>Does that mean he is set to fail? Or was it simply a way for the Web or the End thinking they are clever and sending him an annoying coded message. Or maybe it was that they didn’t know the importance and wanted to have Jon fill them in? </p><p>“Fuck, it’s not like my email isn’t posted on the damn website. This can’t just be a coincidence, can it?” Jon leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling for a bit while his brain flooded with information and the room filled with static. The Marshal purred on Jon’s lap.</p><p>[<strong>click</strong>]</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tw: heavy death talk, grief, paranoia, Basic End and Web stuff. </p><p>PLOT PROGRESS ✧*｡٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و✧*｡ SPooky time tag is in effect for a while</p><p>Side note: Marshal treats Jon's static like he treats her purr. They like each other's noises.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Getting nice things</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tw at the end</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With contacting Nikki and everyone else, Sunday was the day they all had free. As for where they ended up meeting, Jon had wanted to meet in the Archives since it was his domain and he felt most powerful there. But Daisy won the ‘we host it at my house, and I swear Jon if you say my domain isn’t as safe as yours I will kidnap your kitten’ battle in the end. Daisy wanted to show off the cat tree she built for her children.</p><p>Which, as Jon sat on their couch, he had to admit, there was a fine amount of jealousy for how much Marshal was enjoying it. Jon had been meaning to get something more exciting for her, but he couldn’t decide if he wanted to get it for the archives or his home, or for Martin’s place. </p><p>“I would build you some if you want.” Daisy grinned as Jon’s stare seemed to give him away. Wasn’t till she spoke up did he realize a few of this eyes had opened to examine it while Jon was lost in thoughts. </p><p>“Mm-o -Oh! It is- Marshal seems to enjoy it so I was thinking-” He closed them as he coughed a little, fooling no one that he had been paying attention to the room. </p><p>“Uh-huh, I think we can all tell.” She grinned as Martin and Georgie laughed. They were waiting on Sasha and Nikki, while Tim and Basira were in the kitchen. “What's been holding you back from it?”</p><p>“I’m not sure where I would want to put it. Thinking the archives might be the best place to start. Since we spend the most time there.” Daisy rolled her eyes at Jon as he looked like he was considering it. </p><p>“I would say it’s not healthy to basically live at your work, but this is you.” Georgie leaned into Jon teasingly. “Feel like you all should overthrow Elias and just take over the institute. Sasha or Martin could take the place as boss boss, and Jon can just renovate the basement to fit all his spooky needs.”</p><p>“Ooo! I like the way you think Georgie!” Tim came out of the kitchen carrying a tray of snacks. Basira wasn’t far behind.</p><p>“Right? Jon is such a spoilsport for not letting us.” Martin chimed in.</p><p> “I want to just as much as the rest of you. There are just some complications to that plan. Mainly legal ones to be honest, but we don’t have the connections to the police that Elias has…”</p><p>“Hey. what do you call me?” Daisy threw a pillow at Jon.</p><p>“You hardly have authority needed to murder and replace the head of the institute smoothly. I do have some working theories at the moment since I doubt keeping Elias’ eyes in a jar would be enough to stop him long. I’m not even sure how he even transferred them from body to body. I’ve got other things on my mind for more immediate plans, but I’ll wait till Sasha and Nikki get here.” </p><p>Martin reached out and pulled Jon into a cuddle. “Then this talk can wait till then. Sasha just text me to let me know she and Nikki are minutes away.”</p><p>Jon adjusted himself to fit better.</p><p>Basira was on the ground waving around a cat toy for one of her cats, before the other two that were present went on the attack. “I doubt pulling him into a cuddle will stop him from fixating on ending Elias.”</p><p>“It might…” Jon snuggled into Martin. “Though I’m always low key thinking about it. At least how to annoy him.”</p><p>Everyone was still getting used to this display of affection from Jon, save for Georgie. She knew Jon was clingy, tho in college he hid it better. Seeing Jon like this though, Georgie was so proud of him. </p><p>Everyone else, they knew Jon as his more prickly and ‘emotional are optional’ state. Even if he was better, to see this level of affection, definitely changed the mood of the room.</p><p>“We Have Arrived!” Nikki barged in through the front door, announcing herself like a true performer she was. </p><p>“Sorry about being late. Nikki had a crisis.” Sasha followed in, sounding slightly tired.</p><p>“That Is A Rude Way To Put It. I Couldn’t Let You Leave Your Home Without Proper Care.” Nikki took a spot on the floor near a chair that she offered to Sasha. “Can You Believe Sasha Was Going To-”</p><p>“Nikki, No.” Sasha sat down. “If you say anything else, I won't let you crash at my place anymore.”</p><p>Nikki responded with a smile. </p><p>“Glad you both made it. So, we are all here. Jon?” Basira took initiative cause she wanted to get serious talk over so they could eat. </p><p>“Yes. Well, as I said in the texts the other day. Elias took out Prentiss. He called a favor with Peter so she won’t be a problem. What is the problem is all of Elias’ connections. He’s practically got a filled out bingo sheet of fear aligned friends. I’m planning on trying tracking down a handful of them, if the Beholding plays nice. That will be next week cause I’ve got my attention divided at the moment. Which gave me an idea.”</p><p>Jon leaned forward a bit to grab his phone from the coffee table. “We need Allies. Preferably full Avatars, or those aligned closely enough. While I have much more favor from the Eye than Elias now, he has more connections. Which is very not good for us.”</p><p>“I Could Contact Some Of My Friends, Long As Our Deal Remains In Tact, My Friends Are Your Friends! Just Like In Uni.” Nikki was eager in her suggestion. Everyone knew there was some weird deal thing, but the details were never shared.</p><p>“Thank Nikki. You be willing to give a list of some of them for me so I know who all we could rely on?”</p><p>Nikki gave a salut in response. </p><p>“Could probably count a great deal of the Sectioned people too. Feel like they would be more likely to side on your side long as you don’t go waving eyes all over the place. Some probably have grudges on him since he put quite a few people in there.” Daisy added that time. </p><p>Jon nodded. “Cool. so that counts a decent group to start with. I’ve no idea what all he is going to try to pull to get things moving.” </p><p>“It’s So Confusing Why He Would Want To Kill You So Badly. You Should Both Want The Same Things.” They had left out the detail of ‘Jon needed to be marked by each entity’ when filling Nikki in. It would be bad if that became common knowledge, so far as she knew, Elias wants to kill Jon, but since he can’t die by normal means, Elias wants to find an entity that will kill Jon. Nikki was also not informed of the whole future knowledge bit either, as Jon was pretty sure that would break their deal.  </p><p>“It’s because of the power struggle. He wants an Archivist that he can control, and I’m not that. I got too powerful too quickly for him to manage.”</p><p>“He Is So Confusing. If He Wants Control So Much, He Should’ve Joined With The Web.” </p><p>“That’s the other thing I wanted to bring up. I want to try and figure out a way to get in touch with someone of the Web. Any ideas?”</p><p>And they all talked about options. Nikki couldn’t help with Web contacts but she would text Jon any progress, Sasha and Tim volunteered to look through statements with Sasha planning to take to the internet for weird stories and Tim asking around in Research. Martin volunteered to do some Avatar scouting, since he was used to Jon’s quarks by now, and the unspoken he might have some old friends he never met yet in mind. Basira and Daisy would handle things from the police side of things, while Basira mentioned she was thinking about leaving, but she wasn’t sure what next after that. Georgie was taking notes on her phone. </p><p>Ultimately they all agreed that while trying to make friends in spooky places, Jon was okay to passively keep an Eye on them, long as he was polite about it. And not actually look unless something is suddenly wrong. Well, save for Nikki. She wouldn’t have Jon near her group for good reasons. It would be more like keeping an ominous eye key chain that had a panic button, rather than watching. It wouldn’t affect him anymore than Knowing things does. </p><p>Once that was all settled, Martin moved Jon off him to help Basira prep lunch, while the others followed.</p><p>Everyone got their plates filled except for Nikki who waited in the living room. Martin placed down a plate in front of her, full of a mixture of hyper-realistic plastic food, and some of those kid’s toys with the stickers on them. Nikki screamed.</p><p>Nikki’s joy could be described in the same way that a blue candle smelling like cinnamon would be. Still a pleasant, nothing foul about the experience, but so off-putting. She joined them in ‘eating’. </p><p>---</p><p>That night, Jon slept at Martin’s flat. Rebecca held two books, unopening either, but just stared at them as he stared at her. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tw: eye trauma, discussion of murder</p><p>Holy shit having 7 people talk in a room with 3 cats is so much juggling ; v ;)_ sorry if it’s choppy at all</p><p>Thanks for reading and leaving comments! its always so fun to talk with everyone &gt;w&lt;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. A Guest for Mr.Spider</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tw and glitch text translation in the end notes. i'm sorry.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon spent the following several days at Martin’s place. With him focusing on Rebecca’s dreams, rather than just drifting about, he wanted to make sure he wasn’t alone. It was rather a silly thought, but something about not being alone helped keep him grounded. There was an odd sense of curiosity he got when he Watched the dream that made him uncomfortable, like something was missing. </p><p>So, Jon packed up enough clothes for several overnight stays and that was where he spent his evenings for the week. There were already the needed supplies for Marshal since Jon spent enough nights there already that it was annoying to pack for her as well. </p><p>Jon hadn’t changed his sleeping patterns that he followed, so technically he’d only seen Rebecca in her dreams twice now. Once on the night she left her statement so she could see what he meant, then the night of the 7th, to make sure she didn’t panic with her own night terror with him missing. The first night she had sent him a text saying she saw him, and that her friend was right. His eyes were gorgeous. Terrifying, sure, but she was right. They were a comfort. </p><p>The 8th came so quickly. Jon had finished up his work for the day. He and Martin were going to get some take out and enjoy a movie to keep Jon’s mind off things. The two books were each bound in one of those bike locks that have the thick wire and lock. The keys for them, Jon left in his desk at work. They sat where Jon could see them. </p><p>Jon dreamed. </p><p>Ever since Jon was able to sleep again, his dreams had changed from when he was first Becoming. Before, he would be in every dream all at once, while also at the same time, only present in one random dream. Now, after gorging on fear, after becoming the fully realized Archive rather than just the Archivist, there was an order to his dream. </p><p>It took the form much like the archives in the institute but larger, better carpet choice, filled with every statement, ever-growing and expanding. Cabinets and shelves lined up to make countless isles, each filled with the horrors from the future he lived, and the past as he relives it. The ceiling wasn’t the institute's ceiling, in its place was the Eye, a comforting Gaze looking over Jon as it did in the future. </p><p>Rather than him experiencing them personally as he did before, unless he wanted to experience one personally -that is; just standing in his Domain was enough to inflict the nightmares on any whose statements were contained in his shelves and were given to him directly. Sadly the Beholding still took into account the handful of live statements from his first time around. He was thankful in Melanie’s dream it was too dark to make him out. Most of the people who didn’t know he was there, wouldn’t actually notice him until he took their statement again. Just felt that pressure of something watching from right behind them and enjoying it. </p><p>In this domain of his, Jon was in complete control. All the statements were orderly, perfectly in their place. His desk was always just a step away no matter how far he traveled from it, and the dream he wanted was never more than a few steps in the other direction. He hoped to be able to get the Archives as close as possible to this as he could, would keep him from having to remember two locations for everything. Here he could forget about the mess that he inherited. </p><p>It was perfect and Jon cherished it. He had tried to explain it to Georgie once, but he couldn’t find words for it. It was like explaining he was sad to Martin in the future with only being able to pull “very sad” to describe the end of humanity. There were no words to explain this place of power. The closest he got to it was comparing it to when he was on stage, and the minutes passed like seconds and then was suddenly over. Georgie had taken it as though he was referring to the time, and he didn’t have the heart to correct her, that it was in fact the feeling of never wanting to leave. </p><p>Some part of him wondered where it was located, but he Knew it was nowhere in reality. Not with the world as it is. The knowledge that if he completes the crown again, it will be there. It was always there for him if he ever looked for it. He hadn’t. He’d assumed he shared a domain with Elias cause they were so close. There was too much to know for him to realize all he had to do was go down and not up, and he would’ve been <em>home</em>. </p><p>Jon knows each time he wakes, he is thankful he never went down. Had Jon stepped into his domain in the future, he wouldn’t have left. He wouldn’t have wanted to leave. It was no wonder Elias never left his tower, and that Jon understood it while dreaming, left a sour taste in his mouth when he first started having the dreams. He only has the ability to leave now because it’s a dream, and realities roots in him are stronger than the pull of the Beholding on the other side where nothing is real. </p><p>Here in the dream, the Archive was stronger, Jon could feel himself wanting to complete the crown. Knowing the quickest route to getting the marks, it wouldn’t even take a week if he tried. When he would wake, he was always so thankful the Elias didn’t have access to knowing what would scare Jon at this point, but here it was frustrating that Elias was so incompetent. Jon knew what could mark him and the best way to make it stick, save for the End. Jon’s entire being was simply not compatible with reality enough that any mark could be left. </p><p>Rebecca was falling asleep. </p><p>It was like a mental alert he had set to let him know. Jon stood, and where her statement was filed away was right in his reach. He sat at his desk an experienced it with her. </p><p>Rebecca held the two books. Staring at them, taking only a moment to notice Jon. So many eyes, all focused on her. This was a nightmare, not reality. She took what little comfort as she could in that. This was not a comforting place. </p><p>She looked back to the books in her hand, and opened “A Guest for Mr.Spider”. She’d never read the book before, so she didn’t know where it’s contents came from, and that was okay. Jon had told her this might happen on one of the nights, so she assumed that she was making it up; to fill blank pages she had never seen. </p><p>
  <strong>KNOCK KNOCK</strong>
</p><p>Rebecca read aloud from the book in front of her. There was a small echo to her voice, in a voice not unlike a small child’s but not a voice she’d ever known.</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>Who is it, Mr.Spider?</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>It's Mr.Bluebottle, and he's brought you a cake.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Mr.Spider doesn't like it.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>She begins to walk in her dream. Unable to see where she is headed, but her feet know where to go. The Book of the Dead remains with her, just behind Mr.Spider as she reads. She can see Jon following from the corner of her eye, always staying the same amount of passes from her. </p><p>
  <strong>KNOCK KNOCK</strong>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>Who is it, Mr.Spider?</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>It's Mrs.Fruit, and she's brought you some flowers.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Mr.Spider doesn't eat flowers.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>At some point, Rebecca drops the Book of the Dead. Only “A Guest for Mr.Spider” remains in her grasp. She doesn’t notice.</p><p>
  <strong>KNOCK KNOCK</strong>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>Who is it, Mr.Spider?</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>It's Mr.Horse, and he's brought you his son.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Mr.Spider doesn't like him.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Her eyes glance for a moment, and for the first time, she notices Jon’s mouth, not his eyes. His lips are moving, but the sound that comes out is her words, from her lips. As though he is providing the contents of the book directly into her mind, and she is voicing it.</p><p>
  <strong>KNOCK KNOCK</strong>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>Who is it, Mr.Spider?</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>It's the boy from down the road, and he's brought you his bully.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Mr.Spider wants more.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>The book's pages begin to leak red ink. The Door on the next page stares at her with a hunger that Rebecca remembers seeing in Jon’s eyes when he listened to her. How could a door with no eyes stare?</p><p>
  <em> <strong>Mr.Spider wants another guest for dinner. It is polite to knock. </strong> </em>
</p><p>Rebecca looks up from the book to see a door. It is polite to knock after all.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>KNOCK KNOCK</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>Jon screamed in static. </p><p>His skin crawled as blood rushed, Rebecca was gone. Witnessed her final thought. Felt the End accept her as she knocked. Jon experienced it, in a way he couldn’t have, never had been able too. Not even in the coma when he was staring down the End for 6 months. Not like in the End’s Domain. It wasn’t like this. Could never be like this again. No amount of time traveling into the past will ever be able to remove this mark. Not ever. The mark was left on her Statement and not Jon’s body. The Statement that will forever remain in the Archive.</p><p>She died in his Domain. It was never Mr.Spider who invited her.</p><p>He was...</p><p>“...n”</p><p>“...on”</p><p>“JON”</p><p>Martin was staring into Jon’s eyes, cradling his face gently with his hands, avoiding the extra eyes.</p><p>“...Martin”</p><p>“I’m here, it’s okay.” Martin pulled Jon into him. </p><p>“I- ͇͋S̖̫̕h̘͍͒̉e̙̦̚͝…̝͇͍̫̏̆̄͠” Tears streamed from every eye.</p><p>“God ͔͑M͎͆ą͔̓̒r͍̮̂͑ț͓̄͗i͓̿n͕̻̈́͋,̩̦̻̬̔̅͗͜͠͝---- ͙̉wh ̪-̤͡-͕̏-̖̑at̯́-̓͢-ẘ̪h̗͋a̰̕t ͛͜h-̞̆ȟ̰a̬̓v̺̦͛̃e ͚̘̎͞I͙͞ ̺̓..͈̃.̦̾do̪͂n̲̋e.̼͒ ̢̺̇͞W͙͍̗̿̽͠h̛͚̯̉͗͟á͇͍̕t̩̄͜.̟͞.̫̈.̩̫̄̅ ̡͓̓͞a̰̣̯͖̅̈́̚͡m ̨̱̝̝̍͒̔̂I̢̛̤͡-̪͙͝-͎̦̿̈́ǐ̠-͙͊-̼̹̓̿ ̡͎̫̦̽̾͋̏g̢̤͍̮̀͂̈̿o̼͙̤̞͂̄̈͠ǐ̧̳̙̭̔͆͗͟n̥̠̱̩͙͆̐̈́̾́ǵ̟͚͕̻̇̂͛͘͜ ̧͕͇͙͗̂̓͆͟t̰̱͓̪͕̋̒̈́̌͝ǫ̧̮͔̳͋́̌̀͒-̤̪̬̟̲̇̌̅͘̕” Jon couldn’t form words without static coming out. As though just leaving a signal’s range.</p><p>“Shh, shh. I’m here. Breathe with me.” </p><p>Oh, Jon needed to breathe. He inhaled with Martin, and exhaled with Martin. They stayed that way for a while. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tw: messed up dream reality logic, lack of control, death, Mr.Spider related horror. Little more Archive than Jon in this one. </p><p>Glitch text: I- She…” Tears streamed from each eye. “God Martin,---- wh ---at--what h-have I ...done. What... am I--i-- going to-</p><p>---</p><p>Took the text for the book from the show &gt;:3c anyone notice I changed the story tense for the nightmare telling?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Recovery</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I drew a picture for this chapter. it's in the end notes with the tw.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>The night was fragmented for both Jon and Martin. </p><p>The noise Martin woke up to was terrifying. It was coming from Jon, and for a moment, Martin felt grief he hadn’t in a long time, fear rising up his throat with the taste of saltwater. He had to get Jon to stop. He called to him until Jon finally looked at him. Saw him.</p><p>If Martin never heard that sound again, it would still be too soon. Martin was sure that his neighbors had heard it too, as he could hear them shuffling about, but they weren’t a matter of concern at the moment. Martin didn’t even care if he was evicted. That was a worry for later. </p><p>Martin talked Jon through breathing, while Jon clung to Martin. </p><p>It took several hours to help Jon work the static out of his voice. It wasn’t compulsion. At first, Martin wondered if it was, because the broken words from before sounded like Jon was trying to ask him something. Martin didn’t feel compelled to answer anything, he just wanted to get Jon breathing again when Jon had tried to speak. From there, Martin talked with Jon, asking him about things that made him happy. Asking Jon to talk about the cats in his life, about the guy with the takeout shop -the one that would always give a little extra in orders when Daisy called in cause he wanted to have cop friends just in case, about just small little things in Jon’s life. </p><p>Jon didn’t respond in more than a few words, but that was progress. And when Jon couldn’t respond, Martin talked to him about small little things. Or recited his poems, occasionally getting feedback from Jon in the forms of grunts, happy hums, or a chuckle from one, with a side mumbled comment of ‘only you could make that sound less annoying’. </p><p>The sun started to peek through the window of Martin’s flat when Jon finally started to calm down enough to pull away from his grip on Martin. </p><p>“I’m so-”</p><p>“It’s alright. You don't need to say sorry again.” Martin brushed a thumb under one of the eyes below his cheekbone, wiping a fresh forming tear away from it. Martin never knew Jon’s eyes could all cry, nor that any of them could selectively cry while others didn’t. Martin didn’t like that fact.</p><p>“I’ve- Yes. Yes you’ve said. I- I’ll try to stop. I’m…” Jon paused as he leaned into Martin’s hand. “I’m doing better. That was. I-”</p><p>“You don’t have to push yourself. Remember, what we talked about with privacy. I won’t pry it out of you.” Martin’s voice washed over Jon with a great deal of affection.</p><p>“I know. But I do want to talk about it. I just can’t find the words. Its- there is something extremely important about it, but I just, with all the words in all the languages, I can’t find the right ones.”  Jon let out a laugh at the absurdity of that statement. </p><p> “Welcome to the life of a poet, my love.” </p><p>That got a real laugh from Jon. “It’s hardly the same thing.”</p><p>“No. Nope. it’s exactly that. You just have more words to pick from than I do. At least more than the average person.” </p><p>“Wait, those -Martin are you using my words from that time we were in the-”</p><p>“Yup. Sucks being on the receiving end doesn’t it.” Martin grinned. </p><p>“Did you remember more or have you been hanging onto that one?”</p><p>“Oh, well, bit of both? I honestly think there are very few things I don’t remember at this point. But who can say since I don’t Know, you know?”</p><p>“I could know.”</p><p>“You could. But you won’t”</p><p>“Right. Because Privacy.”</p><p>“Uh-huh. You thirsty?”</p><p>“Why would I be- OH God, Martin, you are, We are drenched. Is this all from my-” Jon looked like he had offended himself.</p><p>“Yeah, though drenched is a bit of an exaggeration, don’t worry, nothing a little trip to the laundromat won't clear up. I’m just worried you will be dehydrated.” </p><p>“I-I don’t think I am, but probably wouldn’t hurt to get something to drink.”</p><p>“Tea then?”</p><p>Jon nodded with a hum. “We should get changed into something drier.” </p><p>“Probably. If you would like to take a quick rinse, I’ll have tea ready for you. Maybe absorb some extra water in the process?” </p><p>Jon laughed. “Rehydrating doesn’t work that way Martin. Our skin is basically waterproof.”</p><p>“I mean for people that are more skin than eyes, yeah, but you, you got so many extra eye ducts, Maybe?”</p><p>“The fact that I can still cry probably means I’m not completely dehydrated, since tear glands normally will stop producing when the body starts to detect dehydration and it begins to prioritize other systems in your body for that liquid to go into. Not to mention I’m also not showing any signs of Dehydration other than maybe I’m a little thirsty?”</p><p>Martin leaned in to kiss Jon’s forehead. “Okay. I’ll make some tea, you get cleaned up. “</p><p>Martin got out of bed and made his way out of the room. As he opened the door, a kitten ran in and began to smother Jon with headbutts and purrs before he had a chance to get out of bed. </p><p>“Traitor. Jon needs to shower.” Martin looked to them both with a smile. </p><p>“I'm afraid I can’t move Martin. I have the heaviest 2kg currently locking me to the bed.” Jon fell over into the bed and Marshal laid on his chest and began to headbutt Jon’s chin. </p><p>“Seems like a you problem to me. I’m making tea.” Martin paused in the doorway wondering if Marshal had been waiting there all night as his foot felt a warm spot on the floor. “Just a thought for later, but think anyone ever installed a cat door for their bedroom door? Would that be weird?”</p><p>Jon burst out laughing. Between the smoothing from a kitten and Martin’s: ‘oh Marshal was sad we should ruin our fucking door for her’, Jon couldn’t handle them both. “It would be. Yes. But when has weird ever stopped you before?”</p><p>“Hm. Yeah. Good point. Hope the heaviest 2kg gets lighter before your tea gets cold.“</p><p>“I’ll be out in a moment.”</p><p>--</p><p>“Are you sure you are ready to talk about it?”</p><p>“Yes. I’m, well I’m not better, but certainly better than before.”</p><p>“Alright.” Martin held out his arms to invite Jon to cuddle with him on the couch. Jon took the invitation, quickly followed by Marshal taking home on his lap. There was an awkward second before:</p><p>“Rebecca is Dead.” Jon didn’t hesitate like he thought he would, swallowing a whimper when Martin let a little gasp and reached for one of Jon’s hands. “It was never a message from the Web and the End. I’m thinking it, if it was a message at all, it would be from the End only. The Mr.Spider was only, hm. That book never was going to take Rebecca. She never read it, so it couldn’t have. But the Book of the End. It got the exact scenario it wanted.”</p><p>“If it wasn’t the Mr.Spider book, what happened?” Martin stroked Jon’s hand with his thumb, avoiding one of the eyes there. Gentle reminder he was there for Jon. Jon had told Martin about the book in the future, and he remembered the details enough to not ask for them.</p><p>“It was- it was because she could read it in her nightmares, where the End normally does it’s bidding, almost too simple even. It, A Guest for Mr.Spider, was empty on the first two nights, while staring at an empty book is unnerving, it isn’t quite a nightmare after the first time.” Jon nuzzled into Martin a little. “And I’ve told you about what I’m like in my Domain before. How-” Jon coughed, he didn’t want to get Admiral banned. “So you know. I gave a little push.</p><p>“I knew the contents of the book so to complete the nightmare, I provided the details. The small nudge to complete the nightmare that felt unfinished the other two nights. Heck, I’m probably the only one alive that knows it’s contents other than the Web? but regardless. She made it to the end of the book with my help, and the End took her. </p><p>“When she knocked, the door opened, Mr.Spider wasn’t even there, and... Well I Saw the End as she walked in. In its entirety. Martin, it was nothing like the domains in the future. Nothing like the Roots. They were just the pull of it. Never quite the End itself. What I saw was...it was...</p><p>“It was inevitable?” Jon choked a laugh at how simple the words clicked after there were no words moments ago. “It was just like ‘oh’ and I Knew.</p><p>“The Mark is so deep Martin. Even if I were to somehow travel to my birth, the Mark will be there. As well as my End. There is no branching choice or action that can alter it.“</p><p>“Wait, you mean you saw your death? That is-” Martin sounded uneasy.</p><p>“It’s not soon, not even terrible really, just, like I said, just ‘Oh’.”</p><p>“But your scream…and your voice after...” Martin wasn’t going to just ‘oh, if you say so.’ not with this.</p><p>“That was probably a side effect from looking someplace I shouldn’t have. It <em>hurt</em> to look at. The End is probably more antithetical to me than any of the other 14 could dream of. Same way that the ending of a book ends the tale, nothing more to Know no matter how often you read it. There will one day be nothing to find, nothing new after breaking down every word and meaning. And when time is more a concept, that moment will be the same as this one. So,<em> it hurt</em>.”</p><p>“Oh.” </p><p>“Mmhmm, it's enough to unpack, that screaming was about the only way I could.” </p><p>They were silent, only the sounds of a Marshal’s purr, and a tape recorder nearby. </p><p>“What would happen if you shared the details?”</p><p>“Hmm, anyone in earshot would probably go deaf from the first syllable. The End doesn’t share its secrets.” </p><p>“You almost sound like you changed evil gods.”</p><p>“That would be wild. Terminus would probably be the only able to convert an Avatar. But no. I’m still the Archive. Still me.”</p><p>There was a comfortable quiet to the room as a neighbor made some noise in hall on the other side of the wall. Like something was dropped. </p><p>“If the End doesn’t share it’s secrets, why’s it got a book that tells people how they die?”</p><p>“Because it’s feeding on the readers. It’s not feeding on me.”</p><p>“Hmm. Suppose you open it. Will that change what you saw?”</p><p>“Do you want me to die sooner?” Jon has a teasing tone.</p><p>“No, no of course not, Jon. Just, if people are listening, what about a book that tried to record. Would it, I dunno, destroy the book, or would it record fine, but make it so the readers from then on, go blind or something?” </p><p>“Hm, it would render the book useless either way. They wouldn’t be able to read past my page, to make it to their own. Would probably shift the book's alignment to the Dark with enough time. Feel like it might not be worth it to attempt.” </p><p>“So to the Artifact storage?”</p><p>“Mmhmm. Probably the safest way.”</p><p>“Slap on a big old ‘biggest cursed objects. Will cause death’ label on it?”</p><p>“Yeah. These shouldn’t see the light of day again.”</p><p>“You seem to be handling this well, better?”</p><p>“The initial shock wore off, I’ve just got some thinking to do. There are some complications to consider for later... But Martin. Are you okay?”</p><p>“Oh, yeah. I mean just found out my boyfriend knows when and how he is going to die. Just another Wednesday morning with you.” </p><p>“Hmm is that a joke from bad coping method or-”</p><p>“Jon I’m fine. This is hardly the weirdest thing.” Martin buried his face in Jon’s shoulder. “Say Jon.”</p><p>“Mmm?” Jon leaned into him. </p><p>“Lets move in together. Having two flats seems silly, and I never want to go back to a home when you aren’t in it.” </p><p>“That would be nice. I’d like that.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>
  <a href="https://ventisettestars.tumblr.com/post/631211839538266112/another-drawing-for-my-fic-flip-to-side-b-for">Some cuddle time drawing</a>
</p><p>Tw: panic attack, references to death not too unlike Georgie’s statement, weird eye stuff facts(?) [tho eye facts are more following this in the notes rather than in the fic cause they didn’t make it. Jon Knows it too, just didn't share with Martin]</p><p>---</p><p>the fbi agent looking at my google history is in for a lot of weird searches for how hydration and eyes work, but martin and jon should be citing as close to facts as I could find for monster anatomy? Also apparently crying burns like 1.3 calories a minute? Since that is from only two eyes, Jon’s crying was probably the equivalent of a full on exercise or more /shrug</p><p>Eyes are really neat. basically spent the last 30 minutes reading various reasons eyes do the things they do and learned why noses get runny when crying. Never realized I’d never questioned it before. It’s pretty gross, but very neat. Also explains leaky eyes when sick. Also it’s a good thing Jon is a monster so he can cry cause I want him to. </p><p>Technically without a nose for that system to work, his extra eyes wouldn’t be able to follow blueprints of normal eyes, so um, gross but I consider it fic canon that his tear ducts filter the liquid back into his system rather than it draining into his nose. He didn’t dehydrate cause he was cycling the tears that still got caught in the tear ducts through his system. His body would also probably compensate for that but his lack of appetite, but thirst never quite going away when he came back? Going with that. </p><p>//end eye infodump(?)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Eavesdropping</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The following week was hard. </p><p>Jon seemed to be more than just a little off from what had happened with Rebecca. It was barely noticeable at the start. Wednesday Martin had called them both off and they spent most the day going over moving plans. It was more dreamingly talking about where they would want to live, rather than where they could realistically move to. Martin mentioned wanting a place in a forest, where he could have a little garden, while Jon seemed more interested in what was on the inside. He wanted a room where he could make a little hole for himself where he could keep his favorite statements, with windows so let fresh air in unlike the basement. They joked slightly about having the window facing Martin’s fantasy garden so Jon could watch. </p><p>Then Thursday they returned to work, but Jon seemed to not want anything to do with work at all. He didn’t pressure anyone to not slack off or pick up new statements. Majority of the time, he focused on looking at flats with Martin, or locked up in his office working on something. The mystery ‘something’ he wouldn’t share details, not even with Martin, but he called it “Blowing off some steam”. When Tim asked if it was spooky steam. Jon paused before just shrugging and closed the door. </p><p>Sasha was the first to really realize something was up, not counting Martin since he knew what happened Wednesday, and didn’t share with the team. It was something she could’ve missed so easily, and if she had been in any other place at the time, she would’ve missed it entirely. She overheard a conversation between Jon and Elias when she returned from lunch. She wasn’t sure if they didn’t notice her, or didn’t care if she heard them, but they continued talking while she listened in from the other side of the cracked door. </p><p>“That’s fascinating.” Elias’s voice sounded like they were talking about some sort of discovery. Sasha wished she’d been a bit faster to catch the first part.</p><p>“That’s a word for it.” Jon sounded less impressed. “I didn’t tell you for you to be ‘fascinated’ by it. Just wanted to let you know I’m closer to winning our bet than you are.”</p><p>“Really Jon. What do you plan on accomplishing by telling me this? Do you think I’ll slip up, or call your bluff?”</p><p>“Wouldn’t you like to know?”</p><p>“We are on the same side, why do you fight it so. With the new growth, how can you not be curious to want to explore it? I’d be happy to assist you. “</p><p>Jon let out a bitter laugh. “I doubt you could be of any help. You’re just a sad scared old man. And same side? When was the last time you were even curious about something that didn’t just serve to benefit you?” </p><p>“We each serve our god differently, it’s impolite to judge. I’ve got resources and access to methods you could use to explore this new venture. Don’t you want to know? Dreams are the End’s territory more than anything else, and you’ve-”</p><p>“You don’t Know, do you.” Jon laughed as he cut Elias off but it sounded a lot less out of humor, and more of just being overwhelmed. “And the Beholding isn’t telling you cause it likes me more? Mmmm, I suppose if you really wanted to, I could take your statement and you could see for yourself. You aren’t part of the archives, so I’m sure I would be able to invite you in.”</p><p>Sasha could feel the Static in the air even through the door. It was like two cats having a hissing fight. </p><p>“Thank you for the invitation, but I’ll have to decline. I’m not too keen on what that entails.”</p><p>“Mmm Figured you wouldn’t. Honestly, I would be content never having your statement. It would probably taste like dust anyway. If there isn’t anything else, I’ve got things to do.“</p><p>“I’ll leave you to it.” </p><p>The static died and Sasha hurried to her desk before Elias opened the door and exited Jon’s office. The man looked dreadful like he’d just had his hand in the mouth of a hungry lion. </p><p>She watched cautiously as Elias hurried out of the archives. Jon stood in the doorway and looked to Sasha, his eyes still glowing uncomfortably. </p><p>“You got any questions?”</p><p>Sasha jumped. “Jon holy- I wasn’t expecting you.”</p><p>“Sorry. I’m a bit on edge right now. Forgot to-” He inhaled. “Nevermind. Any way. I know you overheard some of that. Don’t want you to jump to conclusions. I’ve been there before, and it’s not great.”</p><p>“...Yeah. What was that about?” </p><p>“Which part?” Jon sat at Tim’s desk so they would be eye level with each other.</p><p>“What did Elias find fascinating?”</p><p>“I’m able to manipulate my dreams more than I thought I could last time I told you all about my nightmares. Just found out Wednesday night. So it’s new.”</p><p>“That sounds like a later conversation, but you were telling Elias why?”</p><p>“To taunt him really. It’s fun to Know something if he knows he is missing information. It’s-” Jon leaned back in the chair a bit, wow, Tim really has a reclining chair. It leans way more than the others. “It’s a bit of payback. He enjoyed it so much keeping me in the dark, lost and confused while he only gave me tiny bits of information while I was starving for it. Granted when Becoming, it is best to discover the path without assistance, determines the strength of the connection.</p><p>“But, I- uh, I find it more entertaining to do the opposite. I let him know what he doesn’t know and give him just enough answers that he knows enough for it not to count for him learning it on his own, then leaving him to deal with the weakness that follows. It annoys him more that way then if he just didn’t know about it. Like coming home to the smell of a biscuit, but there wasn’t enough for you to eat.” </p><p>“Well. I guess that makes sense?” Sasha didn’t quite understand how telling Elias the things he didn’t know counted as revenge. </p><p>“Don’t worry if it doesn’t. That's a really bad explanation for it. Basically, it annoys him when I know things and he doesn’t. So I told him about the shift in my domain, but he wanted to Know why. So I invited him in to experience it, since the only way in would be for me to take his statement-”</p><p>“Thus making him actively say ‘no’ to gaining knowledge?” Sasha finished Jon’s sentence as she followed it a little better this time. </p><p>“Yup. Exactly. I’m curious if it will weaken him if I take his statement, or if it's a pride thing, so I'm going to be pestering him about it more often. Works out nice that I have something he wants to explore as horrifying as it is.” </p><p>“Horrifying?”</p><p>“I’ll explain it later when everyone is around. It’s kinda weird to try and explain, I don’t want to do it more than once if I can avoid it. It’s hard not being human at the best of times, you know?”</p><p>“I wouldn’t actually…” Sasha was getting very unsettled. Jon was hiding something and he was a shit liar about it. </p><p>“Oh. Right right. Sorry.” Jon got up from Tims chair. “The others are about to get back, I’ll be in my office if there is anything else.” Jon made his escape.</p><p>Sasha understood privacy, but Jon didn’t seem like himself. And if she tried hard, Martin was acting a little off as well.</p><p>--</p><p>Sasha ended up telling Tim about the interaction she caught with Jon and Elias on the weekend after Jon canceled their weekend get together. It had something to do with Nikki and his flat. Jon wasn’t clear about it in the text, but he told everyone to use the company card if they wanted to get takeout anyway. </p><p>The two of them sat at her table poking at whatever food they’d ordered. </p><p>“Tim. what if we can’t trust Jon. I probably should’ve asked, but I overheard him say something about a bet with Elias. He never mentioned anything like that in the explanations.” </p><p>“Maybe he forgot? Jon has a lot going on in that brain of his, and even before the whole spooktacular shift, he wasn’t all the great at not assuming some things to be common knowledge. Remember that one case were he found the key to a man’s apartment taped to the underside of the mailbox and acted like we were the crazy ones for not checking it first?”</p><p>“I guess...but this is Elias. He hates him so why have a bet?”</p><p>“Dunno. But don’t think you gotta like who you place bets with. Just got to know they would reliably pay if you win. Could be an ‘I hate you but trust you will pay up’ kinda thing.“</p><p>“But why leave it out.”</p><p>Tim shrugged. “We can ask on Monday. If he gets all ‘nervously changes topic’ then we can go full investigator, meantime, I believe Elias is going to buy us dessert cause I’m feeling something sweet is in order.”</p><p>--</p><p>Jon was in the middle of moving things out of his flat  so Nikki could take over his lease when he suddenly stopped. Jon grinned as he Watched his ‘blowing off steam’ pay off in the form of all of Peter Lukas’ burner phones ringing off the hook as soon as the Tundra was in the range of a cell tower. </p><p>He Knew all of Peter’s numbers for the phones he collected to make it harder for people to reach him, and each are now buzzing from various automated call centers. It was worth all the times he had to enter them into various systems around the world. </p><p>He told Nikki about it and she had to stop helping him pack in order to compose herself. One of the Lonely being unable to feel alone was beautiful. Martin meanwhile returned to find the two Avatars laughing up a storm with very little packed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Jon is letting Nikki take his place because of the two flats, I figure Martin's would probably be the more affordable one, so they could save more money. Save a little more a month that way to get a better place. Also Nikki wanted Jon's not Martin's Flat and Jon didn't care. </p><p>Thanks for reading and all the comments +w+) You all are so great!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Not quite an interigation.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sasha spent the rest of the weekend with Tim, trying to keep herself distracted from thinking about Jon, and just all the unknowns. It made her nervous, which occasionally she would remind herself that was literally the brand of monster Jon was. Maybe this was just the lingering effects of what Jon apologized for the first time, how he had accidentally sewed a seed of a statement when he learned he couldn’t be recorded any more. When was the last time Jon apologized that sincerely? </p><p>Tim did a pretty okay job keeping her distracted, while the other end of the distractions came from Nikki. </p><p>From time to time she would get a text from Nikki that was either a selfie picturing her causing some sort of chaos in Jon’s flat, or the chaos they both were creating that was probably driving Martin crazy. She’d never really spent much time at Jon’s place, but from what she could tell, Jon was terrible at actually organizing. There was no way Nikki could’ve caused that sort of mess in a day. Especially since Jon was letting her keep the majority of the things. It was no wonder Elias picked him for the job if the goal was originally to find the worst fit for the job. </p><p>Seeing Nikki having fun did help put her at ease a bit. Jon wasn’t just running away to avoid a topic. He was really moving out of his place.</p><p>--</p><p>Monday rolled around and Jon could feel Sasha’s determination the moment they greeted each other, he could practically taste her questions hanging in the air. It was going to be one of those days. </p><p>Jon let out a sign. “You’ve got questions.” </p><p>Sasha nodded. “I do. I want to know about the bet you mentioned with Elias.”</p><p>Tim and Martin both turned their heads as Jon’s expression slipped into something tired.</p><p>“Yes. About that.” Jon paused like he was trying to think of a good way to word it, but considering the glow to his eyes, and the few that opened on his neck, it was complicated.</p><p>“Can you all hold off on comments until I explain everything thoroughly?”</p><p>“Depends, boss. How bad is it?” Tim glanced at Jon, hoping his weekend of defending Jon wasn’t going to be betrayed. </p><p>“Um, Bad sounding? But not?” that wasn’t a confident answer. </p><p>“I can’t promise, but I’ll save judgment till you finish.” Sasha wanted to know. Jon would probably clam up if someone other than Martin didn’t agree.</p><p>“I didn’t include this in the original explanation cause well, I wasn’t hiding it or anything, just explaining 14 fear gods and time travel at the same time felt like it’d be too much? Then I sort of maybe forgot to include it in part two of explanations?”</p><p>They all nodded. </p><p>“What I said about Elias wanting to mark me with all the Enties to complete the Watcher’s Crown wasn’t affected by the time travel. It’s always been his goal. Just undoing it wasn’t ideal for him, so he wanted it back. The- the first week, he tested me with a statement to see if it could be performed with just the memories of the marks or if it needed to be on my physical self...”</p><p>Martin looked horrified, while a small bubble of rage in the shape of Elias’ dumb face formed. The other two looked worried, but they didn’t understand the context. Jon never told them how the ritual was performed, just what was needed for set up.</p><p>“I- It didn’t work. Obviously. Since the world is still okay and everything. Elias was watching, joined me in my office after I finished. We got into something of an argument, and I agreed to terms in the form of a wager. The terms I was aiming for was he can’t hurt any of you to mark me. He wins when I’m marked by all 14 entities -maybe 15 if it takes him too long- and the world returns to what it was with us in power and humanity’s end, I win and you are all free and able to quit with the very real chance it’s with Elias’ death.“</p><p>“That it? ...ah, it's not is it.” Tim saw Jon somehow get smaller from guilt as Tim talked. Jon had to work on his poker face. </p><p>“I took it, the bet, because it was a safe bet. Safe because I couldn't really lose even if I fail...”</p><p>“Oh Jon.” Martin knew more than the other two what kind of world waited if they couldn’t stop Elias.</p><p>Sasha was about to say something, but was interrupted by Jon before she could.</p><p>“I was more confident I wouldn’t fail back then. Now that I've been marked by the End. It happened last week and I <em>Don’t</em> want to talk about it. I’m not as sure. What Sasha overheard was us talking about progress on the wager. Part of it was to try and see if he would brag about what he was up to, so I could have a better idea of what he was up to, the other was…” Jon paused, trying to find a good way to word this next part. </p><p>“It’s hard to put into words, so I’m just going to say it. Part of it might have been me encouraging him. Deep down…” Jon let out a bitter laugh. “No. That's a lie. It’s not deep at all...I <em>want</em> the Watcher’s Crown to succeed. Keep in mind, I also want that jumper I saw online the other day, with the cat paw pattern on the sleeves where hands go. They are the same level of want for me in that they would improve my life greatly. While the cost of a jumper is unquestionably affordable if not a little overpriced, the Watcher’s crown is too expensive with the cost of the world as it is now. So yes. I want it. Any time Jonah rubs it in my face, I can’t deny it. But I also know I cannot, Will Not have it. Wanting and having are two different things, and I’ve accepted this. I’m going to win the bet by Elias losing.”</p><p>Tim stood from his desk silently. Grabbed his phone, jacket, and bag, then walked out, slamming the door behind him. Sasha looked at Jon for a hard minute, looked like she was going to say something, but the slammed door stopped her. </p><p>“I’m not going to say sorry for bringing this up. I need a moment to process.” She quickly grabbed her things, and chased after Tim. Without slamming the door when she left.</p><p>“That could’ve gone worse? You really have to work on how you word things Jon.” Martin tossed the little mouse toy Marshal brought him.</p><p>“I know...but any other way would feel like a lie.” Jon sounded so tired.</p><p>---</p><p>“He compared all of humanity to a jumper, Sasha. A. Fuckin’. Jumper. What am I supposed to do with that!? We are all just objects for scare for a meal. He is no better than the rest of them.”</p><p>“You know that isn’t true, I don’t think...Look I’m upset too, but we are going to have to deal with this.”</p><p>“No. I don’t think we do. I’m not. I’m going to get drunk. Book a trip and peace out for a week before spooky sick kicks in. Maybe calm down, maybe not. I don’t know.”</p><p>---</p><p>
  <strong>Chat between Sasha and Nikki</strong>
</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><br/><strong>Sasha</strong>: Did you know about Jon and the Watcher’s Crown?</p>
  <p><strong>Nikki</strong>: Is That What His Ritual Is Called? Too Bad They Don’t Let Him Name It. He Is Better At Naming.</p>
  <p><strong>Sasha</strong>: yeah, he told us a little bit about it today<br/><strong>Sasha</strong>: I can’t believe he wants to succeed at the watchers crown, after everything hes said and done to avoid it, he still wants it</p>
  <p><strong>Nikki</strong>: Of Course, Why Wouldn’t He Want It? A World Ruled By Your God Is Bliss.</p>
  <p><strong>Sasha</strong>: wait, you aren’t mad at him? Don’t you have conflicting interests?</p>
  <p><strong>Nikki</strong>: Yeah, But I Can’t Fault Him For It. I Just Have To Succeed Before He Does. :D <br/><strong>Nikki</strong>: I Don’t Think You Have To Worry Yet. He Enjoys This World And It’s People Too Much. I Don’t Get It Myself. I Would Only Start To Worry If He Ever Gets Bored. When Someone Of The Beholding Gets Bored Is When Things Start To Get Dangerous. They Are Almost As Bad As The Web.</p>
  <p><strong>Sasha</strong>: I thought the only there were only 2 avatars?</p>
  <p><strong>Nikki</strong>: No. I Don’t Know How Many There Are, But Thinking There Are Only 2 Is Quite Silly. There Is Only 1 Archivist Tho. The Eye Is Funny Like That With Names And Titles.<br/><strong>Nikki</strong>: We Still On For Wednesday? I Was Going To Get Tickets For This Darling Little Theater</p>
  <p><strong>Sasha</strong>: yeah. I can come early and we can check out the area beforehand. I don’t plan on going to work this week with Tim taking off. I think I should spend some time thinking too. </p>
</blockquote>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Jon is having a rough time. </p><p>Also I enjoy Sasha hanging out with Nikola. Nikki doesn't talk through text messages, so they use a chatting app to talk to her. She steals wifi from anyplace she can.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Georgie time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Dual chapter update for today cause chap 35 was in a weird spot to leave for 24 hours, but also combing them didn't have a good flow even with break. </p><p>So if you haven't read 35~ this will make more sense if once you have.</p><p>Last thing before the chapter starts, holy crap everyone ;w;)) the fic just passed 10k hits. I'm blown away! THANK YOU ALL FOR READING</p><p>Edit: forgot to add the tw in the end notes.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Martin left Jon with Georgie while he went to talk to Sasha over what happened. They couldn’t reach Tim. </p><p>So Jon sat with ice cream while the Admiral and the Air Chief Marshal claimed his lap. It was bathtime for Marshal according to the Admiral. </p><p>“Ice cream helping?”</p><p>“Not really.”</p><p>“Wanna talk about it? Haven’t seen you like this in a long while.”</p><p>“I don’t want to just dump my problems on you. It’s worse enough as it is with how involved you are.”</p><p>“Nope. None of that. I know that look.”</p><p>“What look?” </p><p>“The one were you start throwing a pity party in your head and blocking everyone out. Where you are about to push everyone away. Talk to me.”</p><p>“Fine. I messed up. I got overconfident, then I slipped up. It cost someone her life, and now I’m not even sure I’m accomplishing anything, except I’ve looked at the End, so I know when and how I’m going to die, so that’s a thing I get to look forward to.“ Jon’s voice was starting to get shaky. </p><p>Georgie scooted closer to him on the couch and leaned into him, resting a hand to comfort him on his shoulder.</p><p>“Has anything I’ve done actually changed anything? Would rebecca have read the damn book anyway if I wasn’t there to take it from her? If I didn’t send out my business cards into the world so I could feed, her friend wouldn’t have sent her my way. Was it just the Book of the Dead making sure she just died as intended, and I had no influence on her fate, just how she read it. That her death was set in stone just as the End always is. I just don’t know.</p><p>“And I’m angry. Mad at having to see that, at being powerless, at being shown how powerless I am, frustrated while questioning if I can’t avoid the death of a stranger, how can I save Sasha, Tim? Can I even? Or will the End do the same thing. Make it so a Stranger will take Sasha in less than a year from now. Or Tim will...You know I was tempted to have Sasha read the Book of the Dead before I sent it over to storage...I wanted to <em>Know</em> if the date would match. How long have I been this far gone to actually consider it? I know what the book does to its readers, but I <em>still</em> considered it a real option. I had to have Martin drop the books off...I’m scared I’m becoming more a monster than I’ve ever been...Something is making me worse and I don’t <em>know</em> why...”</p><p>“That's. Jon you are dealing with trauma and grief. These aren’t monster feelings. These are people feelings.” She pulls him into a lean so his head is on her without disturbing the cats, her voice gentle. “Monster feelings are the opposite of caring. You saw someone die that you tried to save, though you had from the sounds of it. You are hurt and you are angry. And when have you ever cooped with anger well? Hm?” </p><p>“Emotions are disgusting. Never had to coop with them before…” Jon pouted. </p><p>“Exactly. You deny them, and let them run wild till you are a disaster. I’d say you are closer to humanity that you realize and I’ll cite this as proof: This is like that time in Uni when you were sure that everyone in the band was going to fail their classes cause you convinced them to work on a new song. Then ended up almost going to all their professors and telling them it was you.”</p><p>“I was drunk…”</p><p>“For that last part, yeah. You got drunk cause you were avoiding that no one blamed you, they slacked off yet you decided it was your fault.”</p><p>Jon let out a little chuckle at that part. Uni was a pretty chaotic time. Had he ever known peace?</p><p>“You know...I thought lording it over Elias that I knew when I was going to die would make me feel better?”</p><p>“Of course you would. Did it?”</p><p>“A little, but then it only drove home how similarly my annoyance at not knowing has become. I withheld most of the details from him, and the hunger he had was too similar to my own. I..it feels gross. The missing information isn’t like a blind spot, those are exciting cause they are actively happening but more like I should know it cause it’s already happened, but just don’t.”</p><p>“So like looking up summaries of a book you can’t get your hands on but it’s missing a critical chapter versus reading the book?”</p><p>“You wanted to use tv references didn’t you?”</p><p>“I did. But thought a book would drive it home for the inner nerd whose ice cream is melting.”</p><p>“I watch TV, you know.”</p><p>“I do know.”</p><p>Jon sounded a little better. She was pretty sure he wasn’t sharing these uncertainties with Martin. Or least only gave the watered down version. All week Jon was texting her about how cute Martin was that they were looking for a new flat. Or maybe he just forgot about it till things started to boil over and Georgie knew how to handle Jon’s boiling emotions better than Martin did. She made a mental note to talk to Martin about it. </p><p>“So you looked at Death, huh.”</p><p>“Uh-huh.”</p><p>“You are doing much better than I did.”</p><p>“Is this a ‘share the trauma’ session?”</p><p>“Doesn’t have to be. But just a reminder. You’re not alone.”</p><p>“I will be…”</p><p>“Me too…but you aren’t right now.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>tw: Death talk</p><p>Jon’s got a bit of recovery. The end marked him deep. He is shit at lying, and that includes about pretending he is okay &gt;&lt;) He will be okay tho. //points to the ‘worse before better’ tag</p><p>Also Georgie gets it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Spoopy q&a</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Small interlude from the plot.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Georgie’s door opened suddenly followed by a very loud yell “I’ve come to announce bitches got a scoop and I’m bitches!” Melanie burst into the living room while all Jon's eyes are out. They all focused on Melanie as Georgie let out a sigh. </p><p>“BLoody hell?! What the Fuck Jon.” Melanie dropped her bag. A Ghost sighting in a hospital just became a lot less of a priority on her mind.</p><p>Jon was frozen with panic, two cats asleep in his lap, an empty bowl on the armrest next to him, while a shity scifi movie was playing on the tv. </p><p>“Aah, Georgie wanted me to count all the times they used cgi effects so she could get an exact percentage ratio of when it’s used and when it isn’t. So she could win an internet battle with some random on reddit...” Jon was aware his eyes were out, and that wasn’t the answer that Melanie was looking for. But it was all he could provide.</p><p>“Oh. um...Did I make you lose count?” Cause that was the normal reply? Melanie looked to Georgie for help. </p><p>“No. I’m still paying attention to it. Currently, about 40% through the movie and the effects are surprisingly not as cgi heavy as thought it would be. Rest of the movie could prove wrong though.”</p><p>“Nice. So Um?” The two of them were locked in a staring contest. Jon occasionally blinking some of his eyes, while others stayed open.  </p><p>Georgie started to hold back a laugh. Her two favorite grumpy small humans were broken in very different ways. </p><p>“Do you want to sit down Melanie?” Georgie scooted towards Jon so there was more room on the couch. </p><p>“Yeah. I think I should. Seriously what the fuck?” Melanie didn’t make it to the couch and sat on the floor. </p><p>“Well, since you broke Jon it seems, yeah, he’s got an absurd amount of eyes. He has more we can’t see too.”</p><p>“Alien? Monster? Test tube kid?”</p><p>“I’m not allowed to call myself a monster. But something close to it?” Jon finally added in. He was partially expecting her to try stabbing him or attack, but she was curious. </p><p>“Why not? Monsters are almost as cool as ghosts.” </p><p>“Because he doesn’t think monsters are as cool as you do, and uses it as a way to make himself sad.” </p><p>“Hm, that checks out. So you are rightly odd.” </p><p>“No. Not t’at-all. I’m extremely normal.” Jon smiled, the extra eyes on his face seemed to grin with him.</p><p>“You going to avoid my questions now?”</p><p>“I might. But ask away.” Melanie could notice the eyes on his arm are focused on the movie.</p><p>“Okay. So the Green blurs in pictures?”</p><p>“That's me. Think of them like spooky cameras that feed me information.”</p><p>“Does that mean you are watching me, all the time?”</p><p>“No. Just sometimes. To make sure you don’t get shot by a ghost.”</p><p>“I’m. Shot by a ghost?”</p><p>“They can do that.”</p><p>“I’m not even surprised. So what is the plan if a ghost does shot me? Can it do anything else?”</p><p>“No. but I can call and send help from wherever I am.”</p><p>“Hmmm. Let me know from now on, but I’ll let it slide for all the times in the past. How many eyes you got?” </p><p>“As many as I need or want. Most I’ve had was 306 on my body.”</p><p>She paused for a sec before continuing. “Does it hurt?”</p><p>“Hurt?”</p><p>“Yeah, having your vision all over. Like is it painful or disorienting? Having so many inputs.”</p><p>Jon paused for a moment to think. There was a bit of static in the air before: “I never questioned it before. But I suppose it did at one point. When I first got them, I could barely get out of bed. For a long while. But everything hurt so I didn’t notice. It doesn’t now.” </p><p>“Can you see Shrimp colours, or they just like human eyes, just more?”</p><p>“Not as many colours as those shrimp, but I can see about 5 more colours I don’t have names for.” </p><p>“Fuck off.”</p><p>Jon laughed. “It’s interesting. But can’t say it’s at all handy. Since no one else can see them, it's more like I’m colour blind now. Doesn’t quite affect everything the way you’d think. There are levels of grime that I’ve got the grand front row seats to witness. Just another horrible gift from my horrible patron.”</p><p>“Does seeing those colours make it easier to locate, I dunno Ghosts?”</p><p>“No. I can see them with the normal human spectrum.” </p><p>“Jon! You never told me that.” Georgie grinned while her voice sounded offended. </p><p>“I forgot? No, not forgot. Didn’t even think to tell you?”</p><p>“I will forgive you if you use your spooky powers to help me and Melanie with a joint episode cross over.” </p><p>Jon paused. “You know. That might be fun. Change of pace from the normal. Only thing neither of you can mention me, or the Magnus Institute in the episodes.”</p><p>“Deal.” They both look excited.</p><p>“Want to finish the movie for now, then we can talk details? The scoop you came in with might have good material to work with?” </p><p>Melanie nodded and joined the two on the couch. The three of them spent the next 38 minutes ripping on the movie. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Wrote this because I had a very bad day today and just wanted to have some friendship fluff. </p><p>Jon's not going to fill in Melanie with the 14 fears. He will just be her token monster friend.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Tim time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Martin sat on Tim's couch. It’d been a few days since Tim came into work. Sasha was also skipping, but Nikki had told Jon everything was ‘a-okay’ on that end. So Martin went to check on Tim. There was a plane ticket purchased on the Archive’s spending account, and Jon filled out the expense form for it immediately.</p><p>So here Martin was, watching as Tim packed a small bag. </p><p>“Well Martin. Are you going to say anything or just stare like the damn monsters of the ‘Beholding’.” Tim’s voice had an edge to it. </p><p>“S-Sorry. I just. We need to talk about this. Jon isn’t- You aren’t being fair.”</p><p>“Fair, Martin? Do you even understand how Fucked that everything is? I trusted him. He told us he wasn’t like the other monsters. And I trusted that. We <em>Joked</em> with him about it. Spooky Google? Like his powers were harmless. That him slurping fear out of innocent people is okay since people are coming of their own free will. How many people have we escorted to a lifetime of nightmare Martin?“</p><p>“I don-”</p><p>“Right. Don’t know. Or maybe don’t care, hm? Jon knows though. Every single one. And he knows that there will always be someone to lead the people to vomit their nightmares so he can have a snack. It doesn’t even bother him anymore does it?”</p><p>“Tim. It bothers him. All the time. He literally cannot forget any bit of pain he witnesses. He’s had to learn to deal with the grief, you have no idea how it went down the first time.” </p><p>“Oh of course, cause I don’t have the memories like you and Daisy. How could I judge without the full lore behind-”</p><p>“Fine, you want the Lore,” Martin was standing at this point, stared at Tim with an odd look of pain. Tim looked like he was going to say something. ”Everyone has been dead longer than they have been alive for us, and Jon is trying to power through it. He’s mourned all of humanity once already.”</p><p>Martin’s voice held strong. “And now, he isn’t even sure that we will even be able to prevent anyone’s death, or even if the end of the world is something that can be prevented.”</p><p>“Course he fills you in on that before us.” Tim let out an angry sigh. “Do you help him water it down for human consumption?”</p><p>“He didn’t tell me actually. This is all based on his mumblings while he was having a breakdown. I know how he thinks so I was able to put that together on my own. Plus there is the fact that though Elias said he took care of Prentiss, she is still alive. Just wandering the Lonely until all her worms die. There is a good chance she is going to die on the same day she did in the past, but we can’t wait to find out cause Sasha dies on the same-” Martin stopped before finishing his sentence, his anger from before seemed to almost deflated. How did he know..?</p><p>“Look. I don’t know what your goal is by being here, but I need to be anywhere but here. I got a flight to catch and as much as I like spending Elias’s blood money to annoy him, I would rather not have to wait for another flight. I’ll keep this in mind while I think about it. I just gotta blow some steam, or I’m going to take it out on everyone. Everything is just so fucked, I gotta immerse myself into something not the end of the world related for a  little. ” Tim picked up his packed bag. “Now out.”</p><p>“Right. Just Tim. Please don’t forget that Jon is only human. He can’t be perfect.” Martin paused in the doorway. “If we don’t communicate with each other. Elias will come out on top.”</p><p>--</p><p>Tim didn’t think his trip through, as he got off the plane in Italy somewhere. Only that he needed to be very far from London. Far from the monsters, the fears, the playing buddy buddy with A stranger, who he was pretty sure knew more about the circus than she was letting on. It was crazy. At first, he figured Jon knowing more was convenient and easily teasable. Jon did all the monstrous things behind a closed door. Might even be why Tim felt so betrayed. </p><p>He knew that Jon didn’t want this, knew that no one wanted to be there under the terms they were brought in on. He wanted to quit. He really did. But he also didn’t. He wanted to take out the circus. Leaving would also get in the way of that. </p><p>Tim’s brain was spinning as he made his way to the hotel he’d booked. When he got into the lobby, it was unsettlingly empty considering it was still midday in peak holiday season. No one was at the desk, nor around waiting either. He got out his phone to check if it was the right place, but it didn’t have a signal. </p><p>“Damn.” Tim went to leave when he froze. The door was gone. “Of course the door is gone. Why wouldn’t the damn door be gone.“ He sat with his bag beside him. </p><p>“Okay, so monster checklist. Lonely or Spiral maybe? Those deal with this kinda thing. Making all the people go away.” He let out a hefty sigh. “Whatever is messing with me, you aren’t getting any kinda meal. I’m not scared, just pissed.” </p><p>“Ooh, look at you.” A voice came from behind him. It came from a man who looked like he didn’t quite fit in his skin or this reality. “Thinking that making you scared is why you are here.” His laugh hurt Tim’s teeth.</p><p>“If not for that, what could other fear monsters want?” The world started to feel wrong. There was another figure, though that one clearly wasn’t trying to be a person. Her, his, Their? Their body bent in places where there shouldn’t be joints, but not in a painful way. It looked natural on them, like Tim was the one missing joints.</p><p>“Oh Michael, you weren’t bluffing when you’d said that those who the Archive surrounds himself with were interesting.” The figure was suddenly next to Tim while the being that they called Michael seemed to take their place farther away. </p><p>“Will you get to your points. I would like to check into my room and enjoy my time off.”</p><p>“Is there ever a point to anything?” Michael shifted his hands. Tim didn’t like how either of these two felt when they moved. </p><p>“I have a point. Many of them!” The other sounded enthused.</p><p>“Well then?”</p><p>“I want a friend, but they have to be human. Michael said the Archive’s Guard hates him, so thought that would be a fun human to become friends with before the Eye has its way. Super knowledgeable to counter my confusion. It would be so much fun!”</p><p>“Archive’s guard?” Tim was having a hard time processing the words. He’d wanted to say ‘fuck off’ but some curiosity rose to the surface first. </p><p>“Guard indeed. So what do you say, want to play?” The colors in the room started to be wrong. But like the figures form, the new colors seemed to make more sense, though Tim knew they were wrong. </p><p>“No. I don’t want to play.” </p><p>Michael laughed. “I told you, Alice, The crew isn’t any fun, but interesting isn’t the word either.”</p><p>“You did. You did. I suppose it was worth the shot. Not like the Guard is the only human around. I just wanted to be able to confuse someone that fights it so well. I don’t think he even notices the [----]” Whatever they, Alice?, said, Tim couldn’t hear the words. It just sounded like nails on a chalkboard. “You know, I bet he would be able to even find his way through your halls. Want to test him!!?” </p><p>Tim tried to understand the last thing Alice said after the nail sound, but it was as though words weren’t something that could be processed anymore. It was just sounds now, with no meanings. </p><p>“Hmm could be interesting.” Michael was getting hard to look at. “Alright Guard.” </p><p>Tim could understand those words. There was that Guard word. Was this his name? Was Michael addressing him?</p><p>“There are two ways home. Go through the yellow door, or exit through the hotel door. The yellow door, you will remember this encounter, the hotel doors, you will forget.”</p><p>Fuck. It was getting hard for the Guard, no, his name was Tim, but that seemed important. Tim tried to think straight. He didn’t want anything taking memories from him. </p><p>Tim reached for the door and opened it. The moment the door opened, his mind cleared and he remembered. Jon had told them about Michael. Michael and his halls. Too late now. <br/> <br/>Tim entered the halls and the door closed behind him, leaving Alice who was waving goodbye. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Not the happiest with the first part of this chapter &gt;&lt;) I probably rewrote it like 5 times. Something about Martin and Tim arguing was hard to keep them both civil &gt;.&gt;);;; but needed it there for plot reasons. </p><p>Really happy with Alice tho. Random spiral oc that is probably dangerously close to being more of a Stanger avatar that Spiral. </p><p>Thanks again for all the comments!! I'm so behind in responding by they make me so excited to see &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Always read the TOS</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tw and Glitch text in end notes</p><p><b>10/12 edit:</b> no chapter for today. Internet tanked on me and cant get it off my laptop ro my phone to upload &gt;&lt;) next chapter will be up on the 13th.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>While Tim and Sasha were taking off work to process everything, Jon continued to work during the day. He didn’t get much more than file sorting done, since he was pretty full, so making his archives feel better was more or less his goal at the moment. It was relatively easy since he had most of them filed away mentally, though from time to time, he would run into a statement that was relatively new. He could only figure that those were probably ones the Prentiss destroyed before any got to read them. He made sure those got filed away someplace safe cause they would be good, probably even fresh enough to be more than just a nibble.</p><p>Tim had a point. Jon had been getting a bit full of himself. That could be dangerous. He’d mentioned to Georgie that he was worried he was becoming too comfortable. That in playing human, he was forgetting just how dangerous he could be. She’d mentioned a few things for him to try, without diving into the self loathing pool, but none of them were as easy as that.</p><p>One of Jon’s mental alerts went off and his attention went to Tim. Jon Saw him enter a domain of the spiral no less. Wasn’t Michael from what he could tell, nor several of the other avatars he’d gotten to know in the future. </p><p>It wasn’t long, but Jon was frozen in place watching. It wasn’t the first time he cursed not having the full extent of access to the Eye. He could see around the domain, but not inside. No way of Knowing if Tim was alright or not. </p><p>[<strong>click</strong>]</p><p>A door opened behind Jon, and all his eyes focused on it. “Hello Michael”</p><p>“You know me, but I don’t believe we’ve met before.”</p><p>“We have. But I can’t expect you to remember it. What do I owe the honor?”</p><p>“So cryptic. I like it.” Michael sat in the chair as Jon’s eyes followed him. Jon hated to admit it, but Helen was better as Helen than as Michael. Michael didn’t move right, well, least not in a way Jon was used to looking at them. </p><p>“Mmhmm. You would enjoy it. Now, Mind explaining what you are here for. I don’t want to be rude and ask again.” Jon didn’t like how focusing on Michael was making it hard to focus on where Tim last was. Having to split his attention between two Spirals at once was stretching it. </p><p>“Manners. Something about that feels wrong?”</p><p>“It should. If anyone were to know why it’d be you.”</p><p>Michael laughed his laugh that tasted like the color of the sun. </p><p>“So, then you are so interesting cause I know you when I’m not me?”</p><p>Jon’s eyes started to glow. </p><p>“Oh, so, what's the word, tetchy? That seems right. Fine. I’m here to let you know your Guard is on his way home. You should figure out how to explain that to him. I’m not a fan of Archivists that hide things.”</p><p>“My Guard...?” Static rose through the air. “Oh. <em>oh</em>. Yes. I suppose I should…Thank you. Um, Are you looking for anything in return for this?” Jon’s eyes stopped glowing, with the extra’s still there, but eased of Michael. </p><p>“No. Just. If one of them is hurt. I’ll be angry. No one deserves what Michael got. Keep an eye out for my door.” Michael made his exit with laughter. </p><p>Helen’s exits were better too.</p><p>[click]</p><p>--</p><p>Jon entered Elias’s office fairly forcefully and closed the door behind himself so Rosie wouldn’t be able to hear anything. </p><p>“Hello, Jon. Been a while since you’ve initiated a meeting.”</p><p>“I want to see my assistant’s contracts.” </p><p>Elias reached into his desk with a laugh. “Finally noticed? You were so sloppy when we first arrived. Trusting my word that they had already signed their contracts.” Elias held them out for Jon.</p><p>They both knew what the contracts said, but Jon has to see them rather than just Knowing. </p><p>Jon glanced at them all, and sure enough, along with his was tricky wordings and binding agreements to the Beholding. There was a single line in all the contracts that was different from the others. Each of those lines, binding his assistants in a very different way, though still linking them to Jon. </p><p>“You should thank me. I know your goal has been to keep them alive, and now they have something of an option, should they choose to take it. If you need help developing them, I’m more than-”</p><p>“What ̛̹̙̐i͉̐s̝̽ ̳̽ỳ͎̠͚̂̎o̟͇͑ụ̢̤̘̀̑͗͌͐͜r̡̨͎͎̫͊̊̇̽̃ ̬̺͖͔̺̏̓̇̔͘g̡̘̖̹̜̎̆̾̒̚ơ̧̞̘̦̗̄́̓̚a̝̰̹̖͗͆͌͊̾ͅl͓̞̖̠̩̊̃̿̕̚ ̢͙̰͇̒͛̀̈́̉͢b̘̖̼̭́̊̂̂̕͟y̨̖̺̻̭͋̀̅͗͠ ͈̜̥̮̎̎̎̅̚͢d̥͖͉̼̍̿̒̍ͅó̘͙̗̤̤̂̊͌͡į̹͇͉̒̌͌̈̕͟n̨̞͉̺̺̒̅͑͐͡ĝ̮̯̯̘͕̕͞ ̨̡̟̲͉́͋̓t̘̭̰̥̦͑͋͞͡͠h͚̘͎̪̹̃̕̚͞ị̙̙͖̲̂̿̊̈͞s̰̬͔͖̀̀͊̆͛͟?̰͓̘̟̰̎̒̔̌̍” </p><p>“Wow. That is far more powerful than before.” Elias took a deep breath. “It still doesn’t work on me the way you want it to, but it’s important to me you know that I’m telling the truth when I say this. It’s a reward. You Became so wonderfully, and in a world that has so few possibilities for meaningful changes, thought I would give you something to Watch. Aren’t you curious now that you know? Isn’t it fascinating how no matter how drastic a change, nothing changes?”</p><p>“It’s dreadful.” <br/>
 <br/>
“What would be the point otherwise? It’s delicious how little us coming back in time changed anything. I doubt you’ve paid attention yourself, but nothing in the grand timeline of things has changed. There is a small wave of changes around us, but we are merely pebbles in a pond.”</p><p>Jon hadn’t thought about checking up on the rest of humanity. Just the immediate people he knew. </p><p>“Enjoy yourself, Jon. Now, if you will, I have a meeting with Fairchild, and I don’t think you feel like being around for that.”</p><p>“I’m taking these.” </p><p>“Of course. I’ve no real use for them anymore since they’ve been signed.”</p><p>--</p><p>Jon stared at the contracts on his desk so long that his tea got cold. </p><p>“Are you alright? It’s not often you have a meeting with Elias outside of the Archives.“</p><p>Jon let out a fond chuckle. “We both know that is a loaded question. If I said I was fine you would fight me.”</p><p>“I would. Yes.” Martin picked Marshal off the tape recorder to notice it was on. “And it seems like something is ready to be recorded.” Sat with her on his lap. She purred into him. “But those don’t look like statements…”</p><p>“No, they aren’t.”</p><p>“Do you want to talk about it?”</p><p>“Not really, but what I want doesn’t matter in this case. And I get the whole privacy thing, but these aren’t about me.” Jon added in that last part as he could see Martin was about to remind Jon again. “Also, you should start being careful when asking questions…it’s a hard habit to break.”</p><p>Martin looked worried. “Wait, Why? Jon, what does that mean?” Jon handed Martin his contract. </p><p>“You signed this after Elias and I came back. I didn’t notice…”</p><p>Martin looked at it, and he read it over real quick, then again. The second read through, he saw it. “Fuck. I’m gunna punch his smug face next time I see him. He do this to everyone’s contract?”  </p><p>“In various cryptic wordings. Yes.” </p><p>“Are the others the same as me or...?”</p><p>“It’s the ‘or’. Something about Tim being a ‘Guard of the Archive’s contents’, and Sasha being the ‘Ambassador of Fear’? Hell if I know what either entails. I bet Elias just made the titles up and the Beholding is curious enough to humor him.” </p><p>“Hm sounds like him. So what does this mean for us?”</p><p>“Nothing bad?”</p><p>“Nothing bad.” Matin nodded, petting the kitten. "Seriously though, what kind of evil paperwork demon is Elias? 15 pages of terms just for an internal job transfer. Its no wonder he's been getting away with this kinda thing for 200 some years..."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>tw: weird Elias style manipulations</p><p>Glitch text: What is your goal by doing this?</p><p>--</p><p>Elias is a bastard. </p><p>Also, Tim is doing okay in the halls. just a tad angry &gt;&lt;))))</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Talking it out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tim was happy to see his apartment when he finally found a door. What he wasn’t happy about was it was a week later, and the moment he joined time again, he felt the withdrawal from being away from the archives all at once. He threw his bag to the couch and started to get ready for work because of course that was his life. Through most of it, he felt watched, but based from the times he couldn’t feel it, he assumed it was Jon. Jon wasn’t so nosey as to watch the whole time, Elias wouldn’t be so kind. When had Tim become so used to that? To the point where he could tell which spooky boss was watching.</p><p>There was a text waiting for Tim when he was about to leave that said “Welcome back. Glad you are okay.” from Jon. Tim groaned at how while he was still angry, his interactions with the Spirals really drove home how benign of a monster Jon was.</p><p>--</p><p>Jon gathered up the three of them all once Tim got in. </p><p>“We’ve been played by Elias. Again.” Jon’s voice carried a tired tone that carried the fact of how done he was with everything. </p><p>Jon handed them both their contracts. “He changed them before having you sign, so I have no idea what to expect. I’m thinking your alignment to the Beholding is different than back when I was thinking you were just assistants from the wording in place. Martin’s contract places him as Archivist technically the moment I stopped filling the role.  While you both seem to have something seemingly random in the same place. Or maybe new might be the better term?” <br/> <br/>Sasha looked it over, there wasn’t anything that would elaborate on what the secondary job titles meant. “What makes you think that it means anything?”</p><p>“It's because of me, isn't it.” Time looked at the Guard on his contract and thought of the confusion. “Those Spiral things called me by it.”</p><p>Jon nodded. “Yes. Michael stopped by to let me know you were okay, but he referred to you as Guard. They tend to have the hardest grip on names, so they peek into god knows were to pull names to call you by. Names and titles don’t matter to them, so they pick the first one that surfaces for them. Tends to lean more on how the entities view someone rather than how humans do. Was why I looked into it.”</p><p>“So your spooky google isn’t all-powerful, just only as powerful as what is available.” Tim glanced over to see what Sasha’s fancy title could be. Ambassador of fear. God Elias was such a prick.</p><p>“I’ve been trying to tell you that for months.” Jon smiled. Tim didn’t think Jon hated that nickname as much as he let on.</p><p>“What’s next?” Sasha seemed pretty calm about it all. “If this means anything, are we going to start to develop like you did before you changed? Hate to say it, but going in blind didn’t do you any favors.”</p><p>“Not sure. Either of you two notice anything different since transferring down here about yourselves?”</p><p>“Other than the obvious, ‘world is inhabited by fear monsters’ and whatnot.” Martin added.  “Like while I started to get memories back, I started to Know things, not too differently from Jon. Only didn’t notice since he knew them as well, so we didn’t quite question it? We pinned most of it on memories coming back if anything seemed odd.”</p><p>“Wasn’t until we started talking about it over the last week, did we find the trend. That Martin wasn’t remembering, not all the time.” Jon let out a laugh. “It was mostly when he interacted with random people he didn’t know that we noticed.”</p><p>“I probably was able to develop without reading statements cause of all the memories. Not many horror stories that could outclass those. Thinking that the Nightmare problems Jon faced was a him only problem, since I’ve been present for a live statement here and there but only have my own. So for me, we’ve been poking around to see how Gertude was, rather than how Jon was.” </p><p>Tim and Sasha paused to think about it. </p><p>“Well, I didn’t get lost. My head cleared up the moment I went into Michael’s halls. When I wasn’t in the same place as two of the spiral things. It was like I was trying to look in two directions at once while they were together, but once I only had one to look at, it wasn’t a problem anymore? The halls were annoying at most. That's fairly not normal? I even think I might have found Michael’s heart? It was gross so I ignored it.” Tim tried to think a bit more on that. </p><p>Sasha shrugged. “No idea if this would count, but I’ve hung out with Nikki quite a lot? And she’s been more helpful than Jon in several areas?”</p><p>“Hmm can shake that off Nikki just being Nikki. She likes helping humans and learning to mimic them. She’s been like that since uni, but won't brush it off. I guess let's keep an eye out for things.”</p><p>Tim took a breath like he was going to regret something. “If you poked around in our heads, Could you know, Know? Like if we gave you permission, and this is not that by the way.”</p><p>“No. I don’t think I would. Seeing things out of character for you would need me to be far more adept at human things, and even before becoming I was terrible at it. I’m far better now than I’d been since uni.” Jon shrugged a little. “I guess for now, keep an eye out for things, and we will continue as normal? Also if you wanted more time off, feel free to take all the time you need. I was planning on getting you some spare keys made so you can just swing in whenever you start to feel off.” </p><p>Everything was so absurd right now. The look on Jon’s face when he’d said that was too pathetic to stay mad at. The look was almost enough to piss Tim off for Jon’s resignation of it all. Sure, Jon was a monster who enjoyed people’s fear. Sure, he’d compared all of humanity to a cat jumper. He was also the one working every day with the goal of keeping two people alive. And wasn’t planning on stopping if Tim or Sasha bailed on him. Maybe it didn’t need to make sense.</p><p>“Don't want us here, boss?” Tim grinned. “Want to have an office romance with your Archivist or something? Love tucked away in the shelves?” </p><p>“TIM.” Martin’s yell scared Marshal from where she was hiding and she scurried to a new hiding spot near Jon. </p><p>Tim chuckled. “Could have some sweet little romantic dinner reading the new spooky of the week. Maybe by electric candle to keep fire away.”</p><p>“You two being here isn’t going to stop me from romancing Martin.” Jon said it confidently enough that any tension in the air seemed to lighten. </p><p>“JON, not you too.” Martin hid in his face. </p><p>Tim was frustrated at Elias for basically everything, but he’d be damned if anyone hurt the group in front of him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tiny chapter for now~ Got some good fluff coming up. New years is around the corner for the gang. &gt;:3c </p><p>Thanks for all the comments!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. they were called the Mechanisms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I’m a total mech noob, so any ooc is probably more that, with the side headcannon of them being people who acted out whatever Chaos they wrote, save for Nikki. she doesn't break character. They all used their names for stage names cause that's how it rolls sometimes. There are a whole lot of breaks in this one with hand fulls of mini interactions cause navigating a party setting is not a skill I have in real life, let alone being able to write 11+ people interacting</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>New years eve wasn’t something Jon figured he’d ever see again, to be honest. In the future, there weren’t any new years to celebrate, not even an anniversary to the end of the world. </p><p>“Does it count if we’ve already celebrated this year?” Martin held tight on Jon’s hand as they walked. </p><p>“I dunno. I didn’t quite celebrate it last time around. I think. What was I doing?” Jon had skipped out of parties back then. He wanted to skip out on this one as well, but Martin had looked so excited. “I was probably working or maybe read a book?”</p><p>“Then it doesn’t count I suppose. Since you never celebrated.”</p><p>“Did you do anything exciting last time 2016 came along?”</p><p>“I did. I went to the company party we are skipping this year. Tim had gotten drunk and I walked him home. Almost didn’t make it there before he passed out.” </p><p>“I really missed out on those parties then.”</p><p>“Maybe Tim will get drunk at Georgie’s party and we can walk him home together.”</p><p>“Have to fill him in on the plan that.” Jon leaned into Martin, his head resting on Martin’s arm. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Jon walked into Georgie’s building then froze. “Martin, I changed my mind, let's bail and spend new years, just you and me.” </p><p>“What? Why the sudden change? This is literally all you’ve been talking about for the last few days.”</p><p>“I just-” Jon was cut off as a man entered behind them. </p><p>“Jonny, that you?! How’s it been mate?! Georgie didn’t say you were coming.” </p><p>Martin turned to look at the man from behind.</p><p>“Hello Tim. She didn’t mention to me she invited you either.”</p><p>“She musta forgotten, or thought you wouldn’t come if the crowd was too big. ” He laughed. “What are you just standin there for? Your plus-one, You his plus-one?” Martin nodded. “Good on ya, Jonny, your plus-one’s probably getting cold.” This stranger to Martin pushed them in. </p><p>“I’m Tim by the way.” He held out a hand to Martin.</p><p>“Martin.” He took his hand. </p><p>“Ivy told me she was going to be here later. Brian couldn’t make it, something about travel plans? No matter. You been in touch with anyone else lately?”</p><p>“I have. Basira and Nikki. Bumped into them randomly over the last year and we kept in touch.” Jon made his way up the stairs to Georgie’s place. </p><p>“Haven’t heard from them in forever. They been good?”</p><p>“They’ll be here so you can ask, but yes.” </p><p>“Almost enough to get the band together.” </p><p>“Band?” Martin sounded curious, and Jon’s hand went limp.</p><p>“Oh, Didn’t Jonny tell ya about it? We used to be in a band back in uni. Pretty large crew with us all and we’d do shows every other weekend or so. I got some videos I can share, maybe we could do a song or two. Sure Nikki would be down for some ‘<em>tales to be told</em>’.”</p><p>Martin’s eyes seemed to light up, almost supernaturally glowing. “Jon, you never mentioned before…”</p><p>“I didn’t…”</p><p>Martin looked to Tim. “What did he play?”</p><p>“He was our leading narrator and sang many-a-parts. Georgie heey.” Tim entered the flat to be greeted by the host. </p><p>“Hey, You made it! See you bumped into Jon and Martin on the way.” </p><p>“Georgie…Tim told Martin about The Mechanisms...” Jon moaned to her as he hung his coat.</p><p>She let out a laugh as Tim looked to Jon. </p><p>“Oh, sorry, didn’t know it was a secret. Hope I didn’t ruin any big date repeal plans. Guess too late now.” He let out a sort of laugh that had the sense of ‘oh well what can you do to it’.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Georgie went around introducing everyone to each other. The two Tim’s decided that Tim from uni would be GP Tim since between the two Tim’s, he was the only one with a nickname and neither would go by Timothy. In the process of name deciding, everyone was informed that Jon was in a band whose whole thing was they were immortal space pirates. Jon and Basira both mopped in the corner for a bit, cause it was news to Daisy as well. Daisy and Martin went back and forth about how to tease the two immortal space pirates in their lives.</p><p>“Nikki, I know why the two of them never mentioned it, but why didn’t you?” Sasha was sitting with Nikki while GP Tim was bringing up videos for Tim, Daisy and Martin. </p><p>“Oh, Cause We Always Talk About Jon, Never Jonny. If We Talked About Jonny I Would’ve Been Happy To Tell You The Tales.” Nikki beamed like it should’ve been obvious. </p><p>“Of course. That makes sense.” Sasha mentally filed that as important information. Need to be beyond specific with Nikki. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Ivy showed up not too much later than the rest of everyone and she has insisted on the crew to perform something for old time sake. Much as Jon protested, everyone could see the smile he was trying to hide, so some tales were told over some old voiceless tracks from various albums Georgie seemed to have ready. Jon was just as into it as ever and the archive crew were amazed how Jon could just switch on roles much like when he read statements. Martin looked he would melt.</p><p>Melanie recorded it with an old vhs camera since she was aware that Jon’s flavor of spooky couldn’t be recorded digitally. She played it off as it was retro and she was messing around with trying to use it for her show. Which wasn’t a lie. She did want a way to get Jon in her videos.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“So Jon, heard you got yourself an archiving job. The irony eh?” Ivy sat next to Jon while the others were playing some weird party game. Jon got eliminated in a round before Ivy had. </p><p>“Only if you were a captain of a ship.”</p><p>She let out a laugh. “When I said irony, I meant it. I’m only technically a first mate now.” She elbowed him.</p><p>“You’re joking.”</p><p>“Nope! Got the promotion few weeks ago. It’s for a shipping company that carries things that can’t go by air. Mostly artifacts and the like. Some right creepy things from time to time, but not like any of the horror stories attached are real. Pay is wild for just going to sea every once and awhile.”</p><p>“Sounds dangerous.” Jon got worried so did a quick Look at the company. It wasn’t anything aligned to the fear, but there might be some less than legal activity? “Just be careful. Would suck if you got caught with something you shouldn’t”</p><p>“Oh it’s fine. Basically an ocean mail lady.” She laughed. “Bet your place is faaar quieter than an job on the aurora would be.”</p><p>“I dunno. I could give it a run for it’s money I think.” Jon laughed, both cause she had no idea, and because it would be nice if that were the case. It might be slightly quieter by definition, but not by events.</p><p>“You’ll have to give me a tour sometime so I can be the judge of that.”</p><p>“Not much to see other than some dusty old papers about the things that go bump in the night.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Midnight was almost there and everyone was preparing to make some noise. Jon held tightly onto Martin’s hands in anticipation. Time was hard, but here he was, not to far off from a year since time stopped working for so long. He wanted to keep it flowing like this. Next year they would have another party. Sasha was going to be fine. Tim was going to be fine. </p><p>Midnight struck and Jon pulled Martin in for a kiss. He’d seen it in movies, sure it looked cheesy, felt cliche, but didn’t stop either of them. Jon was here with Martin and they were both going to be alright and see another year turn. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Jon would leave the night with everyone's contacts updated in his phone. GP Tim would also give Jon Brian's number. There will be some catching up randomly throughout (loosely based on how me and my buddies from college keep in touch)</p><p>The mechs crew will probably be showing up more often cause I really enjoy Jon just being able to be not spooky around pals. (time to binge mechs x3)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0042"><h2>42. spooky time off the clock</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Glitch text in the end notes.</p><p>--</p><p>Woo! Act 6 time. -I got everything broken into acts in my set up to make sure I don’t get sidetracked. Basically for various story beats and what not, buuuut doesn't affect anything in the way you all see it~ basically comes down to if I was doing long chapters every few weeks, this would be chapter 6 or each act is roughly 10k words xDD I’m just excited from my end so oversharing. Last rambling, the last week of chapters have been very hard to write. I wanted to get Jon back into ‘he is doing okay’ land in a way that wasn’t him brushing off just pushing a lady into her fate. He still isn’t okay, but think at a point were he is functioning well again since the end would’ve gotten her through him or through her own doing. (Web just didn’t get a meal)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Is this necessary?”</p><p>“Absolutely.“ Melanie was bundled much better than Jon as they trekked across snowscape to an unlit house.</p><p>“I get you were ready to venture into a building that hasn’t seen heat since winter, but you could’ve let me know…” Jon was in a jacket and scarf. Ready for a walk from the tube to a bar where they planned to meet up, not ready to venture out of London to explore an abandoned building. </p><p>“I thought you Knew everything?”</p><p>“I-it doesn’t work like that. I’ve told you I can’t see the future or how a chain of events is going to play out.” He blew into his hands to prepare to jump a gated fence. Melanie was prepped to jump it, having pulled some stretches while Jon complained. </p><p>“Pity. you didn’t have to come.”</p><p>“You wouldn’t have let me live it down.”</p><p>“Never said there wouldn’t have been repercussions if you didn’t come, just said you didn’t have to.”</p><p>Jon scoffed at her. </p><p>“You ready to jump Mr.Sims?”</p><p>“No. but I don’t have much choice I’d say at this point. Being in there would at least be a break from the wind.”</p><p>“There’s the spirit.” Melanie took a bit of a run, before she jumped over the gate. Jon was impressed she was as nimble as she was, even pre-bullet. Jon however, was much less grateful. If cops could profile him by the imprint he left of his face in the snow, he deserved any fine for trespassing. </p><p>“Hm. Good thing I didn’t give you the camera. Come-on.” She offered Jon a hand up. He muttered a ‘thanks’ as he got to his feet.</p><p>“So, this ghost of yours, you think it only shows on new moons because...?”</p><p>“Well, as the story goes, she was sensitive to light, and the only nights that she could bare to even leave her darkened room was on the nights of the new moon when the nights were the darkest. After she passed away, no one even noticed for a month when she didn’t come out for her once a month night stroll.”</p><p>“That sounds like a campfire tale from children…”</p><p>“Please, I’ve got more credit than that. I looked into the last owner of this estate, and things did line up pretty nicely, but it wasn’t that she was sensitive to light, so much as she was an astrology nut and would get the best views while the moon wasn’t filling the sky with light. She was a real eccentric one from what I read. Used your spooky library for that information.” Melanie waved for Jon to hurry up, a recorder was in her hand and it was on. </p><p>“Are you, when did you get that?”</p><p>“Oh, picked it up when I helped you up. It was already on so thought might be able to use anything we talk about in the show. Put some nice night shots of it snowing to go with the audio. You really got quite the habit of carrying these around.”</p><p>“I told you. I don’t carry them. They sort of follow me. Show up when I need them.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know. They show up when something abnormal is about to happen. Which is a good sign for me. Shame my camera team was busy. Think you can use it without corrupting it?” </p><p>“The camera?”</p><p>“Yeah. Can you or just touching it make static?”</p><p>Jon paused. He’d never tried recording. Theoretically, it would be the same as him watching, so might work? He knew looking into the lens would mess with it, like how he had messed with the institute's cameras. Jon Knew after a moment that if he was the one holding the camera it would not only record, but have his sight. </p><p>“I can. There will be interference, but the footage will be useful.”</p><p>“Good. Here ya go.” She reached into her bag and tossed him a small handheld video recorder. “Keep it steady. Nothing worse than a shaky cam.” </p><p>---</p><p>“Bloody hell. Did you get that?” </p><p>“Yeah. probably more clearly than your eyes even saw it…”</p><p>“Unless it’s recorded those colors you teased about.”</p><p>“Look, one, to my eyes, the pants did not match. Two. I don’t think cameras can record some of the colors I see.”</p><p>“Brag.”</p><p>Jon made a tsk noise.</p><p>“Now move over and show me the footage.” Melanie was looking over Jon’s shoulders, while he hit play. </p><p>The video followed Melanie while she talked only to get responses in static in return. Then when they turned a corner, there were reflections from a pair of eyes, like a cat or what Jon’s does when he is caught sitting in the dark. </p><p>The footage focuses on a woman in an old 50’s styled looked, staring right back at the camera, her eyes void black. </p><p>Melanie’s scream is heard in the footage, then all the sound is replaced by static as the woman says something then fades into the darkness.</p><p>“Think the tape recorder caught that? Whatever she said?”</p><p>“Probably? It’s never had a hard time before with any of the other encounters.”</p><p>“Hmm, she looked to solid to be a ghost in the film, but I could barely make her out from the shadows…” Melanie started to fiddle with the tape recorder to rewind it. </p><p>She hit play and their conversation played back.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>“Next time please let me know to dress for colder places.”</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“If you got to be such a wimp about it, can’t you do that ‘watching everywhere’ thing through the place and see if there is anyone here?</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“It’s not that simple. They aren’t like drones or anything. If there isn’t anything interesting to look at, it’s harder to see whats going on”</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Pity, coulda been helpful.”</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Trust me, I know. Right now the only thing that my eyes are doing is making me colder. You know that sting in your eyes when it’s cold?”</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yeah. Where when the wind blows it makes my eyes water so they don’t freeze?”</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Now picture that on every surface of your body.” Jon’s voice was very flat.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Oh. OH. I never- fuck that sucks. Okay, I take back the-” Melanie lets out a gasp.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Melanie, Stop.”</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“͕͇̱̆͒̎L͇͓̏̄e͕̫̋̓ą̧̳̿̓͝v̫͎̻̩̒̈́̊̚e n̨̜̍̆o̻͊w̡̡̲̥̋̒̌͗ o̙͚̝͐̔͘r̛͙ t̛̻͉͚̘̣͊͆̎h̯̖̪̐͋̆͞ͅȩ̜͓̘͐̆́͠ ḑ̥͂̕ḁ̔r͇̩̞͗͛́́͜k̰͝n͙͓̚e̡͖̟͊͛̍s͖̬͔̈̕͞s͈̏̿͜ ŵ̨̘̦̞͛̕i̢̭̎̓́͢l̻̈l̺͕̚ ç̱̣̹̣̏͋̊̿̇o͉̾ḿ̮̺͇̑ę̞͚̒̋̕.”̧̄</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Shit Jon are you getting this???”</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That's what you are concerned with?!”</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Then that is when the audio continues their conversation. </p><p>“Christ, this is brilliant. I can make it out. Now to figure out how to get it to stick digitally. Or maybe I can try to recreate it? Since got real usable footage to go with it.”</p><p>“You don’t think it’ll look too fake?”</p><p>“Hmm that's not much a problem, gunna get some people who will think so. I’d expect you would be among them if you weren’t an eyeball horror. The quality you got, my editors are good, but not that good. So gunna be hard to get the skeptics fuel.” She laughed when Jon made a face at being called an eyeball horror. Melanie made a point to not call Jon monster if she could avoid it.</p><p>“You should quit your job and join me in a Youtube career. You’re a natural at keeping it still, skin condition aside.” </p><p>“I can’t quit. I literally get my meals from the people that come in.”</p><p>“Youtube comments can be full of horror stories?”</p><p>Jon let out a laugh. “Not the kind I eat.”</p><p>Melanie shrugged. “Onward?”</p><p>“Ominous figure warning and freezing horror not enough to stop you, so I guess lead the way.” Jon’s groan had a bit of static in it from frustration. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Glitch text- “Leave now or the darkness will come.”</p><p>--</p><p>Part two is on it's way tomorrow &lt;3 Jon having some non-job related spookytime is really fun to write.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0043"><h2>43. Hello darkness my old friend</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tw and glitch text in end notes</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The house seemed to be uneventful for the next hour. Through their exploring, Melanie had swapped coats with Jon so he could be warmer. Not long after that, Jon was also wearing her scarf and gloves. He kept trying to turn her down, but lost that battle fast.</p><p>Jon took a moment to really look around, trying to Know if there was any trace of that woman from earlier. There was nothing to See. Just a cold and empty house. </p><p>“Melanie, I don’t think we are going to get any better footage.”</p><p>“Yeah. Hate to admit it, but probably right. Let's take a peek in the basement level real quick then we can head back. I’ll treat you to something warm at the station.”</p><p>Jon nodded and followed behind. </p><p>Melanie descended the stairs and Jon noticed a moment too late to catch her. The moment her foot touched the floor, she fell through. Like the surface was water. But it wasn’t that. Jon could See in water. </p><p>This was Darkness.</p><p>He let off a scoff before tossing the camera into his pocket and following in after her. </p><p>The air was thick, if it could be called air. “Melanie, do you hear me?” His voice barely sounded like it made it an inch past his face, let alone anywhere she could hear it. </p><p>The only advantage Jon had was she still had the Tape recorder. He might not be able to see, but he could feel it. </p><p>Jon reached out while navigating the seemingly endless Dark until he felt an arm. He’d hoped it was her, as he pulled. “Melanie, is this you?”</p><p>“Jon. You sound so far away.” Her voice sounded like a whisper, while he is sure she was shouting.</p><p>“That happens in the Void. Hang onto me.”</p><p>Melanie’s grip tightened on him. Jon couldn’t see the way out, but he never quite lost his footing. </p><p>Jon let out a sigh only he could hear. If this were the future, Seeing through wouldn’t have been a problem, but as the Eye was limited by reality, the Dark and it held equal footing on reality. To get out he was going to need to accept the darkness which would leave its mark. </p><p>Jon cursed mumbling about how it felt like he was on “a bloody speed run” which confused Melanie as she heard it in whispers, but she couldn’t focus as it was getting harder to breathe. Like there was just enough air to keep her from suffocating, but not enough to feel like she was getting full breaths. She felt Jon tug on her.</p><p>“Melanie, take a step up. Trust me.” So she did and she was back on the steps, the world back in clarity. Jon focused on her with a face full of eyes, all glowing. </p><p>“What the fuck was that.” Sweet oxygen filled her as she looked to the basement floor. It was still just as dark as it had been when she fell in? </p><p>“That would be the Void. It’s complicated to explain, but at the root of it, it's a puddle of dark stuff and we just went swimming in it.”</p><p>“That didn’t feel like swimming...but I think I get it…” She padded her pocket and looked horrified. “Shit, I think I dropped the recorder. All that…”</p><p>“I’ve got the tape, don’t worry. It’ll show up by the end of the week. Good to go?”</p><p>She nodded. “That doesn’t make any sense, but I guess you know how your weird stuff works.”</p><p>“Mmhmm, and not to worry, I got the camera nice and safe.”</p><p>“I wasn’t worried about it, but now that you reminded me, you better not lose that Sims…”</p><p>Jon let Melanie pass him while going up the stairs. He wanted to make sure she didn’t get caught in it. Though now even if he couldn’t See still, he could Know the Dark, and he Knew everything that was in there. </p><p>The lady from before stood in the doorway and stared down at them. </p><p>“̨͕̮̝͋̇̉͠Y̧̏ó͙u s̻̲͇̓̓h̢̰̭̲̎͛͐̈͛ͅou̢̦̯͊̓̉̔̅͜͜l̞̙̎͌͢ͅḑ̲͎͕̈̀̆̌͜n’̮͕̭̾͑͟͠t͚̕ ḥ̙̜̑̒̉͟͠a̜͈̯̎̈́̉̉͜v̬̻̇̿ę̭̯̹̋̊̎͝ b̧̩͇͆̋é̲e̡̟̪̎͆͊n͓̖͗̉ ã̻blê̺̖̪̈́͘ t̝͚̔̈́͢o̩ l̬̠̠͗̂̎ȩ̢̹̎̒̿a͈̥̠̽̎͝v̛͍̠̊é͚̰͎̔̓.̹͒”</p><p>“I’m afraid that our interests don’t align on that.” Jon was calm enough to get out the camera. Nothing like a good shot of an ominous figure blocking the doorway. “My apologies for interrupting your dinner plans.”</p><p>“̣̻̖͎̒̊́̓H̠͉͉̖͓͖͍̓̈́̀̒͛́õ̮͓̰̩̲͛̏̑͝w̧͙̦̤̦̥̬̞̄͑͛̀̈̄͒͋ d̨̦̖͂̒a̻͎̣̱͌̈͑r̟̫͒͘é̟̘̥̩͓͎̥̐͛̓̌͞͡ y̬͓͉͎̥̤̯̓̄͛̃̍͊̕͢͝o̢̭̰̦̰̜̽̾̅̏̕͡u̅͟.̨̞̹͙̰̉͑̐̽͞”̻̼̦̫̤̥̭̰̂̔̽́̄͊̍͌͘͟ͅ  Her voice hissed.</p><p> </p><p>“<strong>Stop that</strong>.” Jon’s eyes looked at her and she seemed to get the hint. “Now, we will be back in a few days' time. It would be wise for you not to try anything.”</p><p>The woman scoffed and vanished into the shadows.</p><p>“Did you seriously just grab the camera to get shots of her while threatening the monster lady?”</p><p>“Um...yes? I doubt she will show up again next time you come back, and I told you one more shot then we would go home…?”</p><p>Melanie laughed as she finished exiting the basement. “You are too good to be hidden away in the archives of spooky central.” </p><p>---</p><p>They both sat in Melanie’s flat while she looked over the footage they got, and Jon enjoyed some hot cocoa. Turned out they had been in the Dark longer than the later of the cafe’s were even open. To be precise, it took them a solid 2 hours to get out and it wasn’t until about 2:30am that they made it back to London. </p><p>So Jon followed her home, while explaining a bit of “horror creature” lore to Melanie. It was very basic things, no reason to explain the fear in detail, so it was mostly just him pointing out that various creatures enjoy humans in different ways. While he was very content to just feed off scared people, the lady there straight up let people wander in the dark until they died. </p><p>What he left out was the woman was most likely leaving her home on new moons to avoid her own Becoming, but ultimately failed after some time. He didn’t Know it like he would most things. The Dark was still something of an odd blind spot for him. But chances are, her first warning was the lingering humanity, while their second interaction was anger at a lost meal.</p><p>“This is definitely enough to make for a good episode.”</p><p>“You should censor the location. If people try to investigate themselves, she would probably be happy to make a meal of them.”</p><p>“It’s creepy when you talk like that you know.”</p><p>“I’m a creature that nibbles on horror. I’m not going to pretend others have more manners than I do. I quite like the idea of her starving.” </p><p>“Heh checks out. I’ll see what I can do. Probably just blur the address and slap a big ‘warning: we are professionals, don’t try this yourself’ banner in the beginning.”</p><p>“Like that would stop stray humans.” Jon laughed thinking of all the times he jumped right into every bad idea that came his way. </p><p>“I can’t be responsible for their stupidity.” </p><p>“Yeah. Humanity is too large for that.” </p><p>Melanie uploaded the data onto her laptop and it held up way better than her or Jon figured it would.</p><p>“Looks like whatever you did, worked like a charm. Want to come with me to a train graveyard? My team isn’t too keen on joining, but my gut tells me it’ll be as good as this one.”</p><p>“Sure. but we are waiting till the summer for it. I’m not doing any more cold excursions other than our return to get the footage you need for the rest of the episode.”</p><p>“I thought you weren’t planning on coming again?”</p><p>“Well, that was before a creature of the Dark tried to eat my friend.”</p><p>“Pfft. Are you being a territorial spooky?” </p><p>“Do you want to be eaten?” Jon looked away, his expression very much saying ‘maybe’ as a few of his eyes betrayed him by not taking their focus off her.</p><p>“Not quite. It’s nice you know. Like having a lion or a wolf as back up. Even if you are scrawny as anything. Think you could take that lady on in a fight?” </p><p>Jon smirked, just a little. “Yeah. I would just look at her really hard. Her type don’t like being looked at.”</p><p>“Is that the same with all of them?”</p><p>“No. Not at all. There are only a handful I’m useful with. The rest I’m not even a snack.”</p><p>“Oh. Well you lost the lion status. But you can keep the wolf cause of the whole phrase wolf in sheep's’ skin thing. You pull of the people thing well.”</p><p>“I did start this way. Do you ever actually listen to my explanations?”</p><p>Melanie made the so-so gesture with her hand while making an ‘eeeh’ noise. </p><p>“Of course.” Jon set his mug down and laid out on her couch. “I’m confiscating this till morning.”</p><p>“Sweet nightmares.” Melanie put on her headset while she tried to get the audio off the tape recorder.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tw: suffocation and drowning</p><p>Glitch text: “You shouldn’t have been able to leave.” | “How dare you.” <br/>---<br/>6 marks down. Jon can't keep out of things xD</p><p>Tiny hiatus for the weekend. Next chapter will be up on the 20th at 00:00 PST</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0044"><h2>44. It’s really hard to change the timeline</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The 13th of January, 2016. Naomi Herne was right on time. Rosie led her down to the basement and Jon waited in his office to meet her soon as she entered the building. Soon as she entered the office, her breath was caught in her throat. </p><p>“You, Don’t I know you?” She mumbled out in confusion after a moment. “You seem so familiar?”</p><p>Jon smiled. “This is our first meeting I believe. I believe Martin went over all the paperwork with you about leaving statements?” Jon made a gesture to the chair for her. </p><p>“Hmm weird. Maybe your face is just one of those types of faces....” Naomi sat and was immediately greeted by the archival kitten, who was not as small as she’d been when first joining. Naomi pet the little host. </p><p>“Um...Thanks?” Jon snickered a little.</p><p>“Oh Oh I didn’t mean it like- You have a lovely face. Just saying maybe you look like someone else I’ve seen around? Or you know. I’m not here to talk about your face. Sorry.”</p><p>“Nothing to worry about. I know what you mean.” </p><p>“Yeah, right, right. So how's this work? Do I wait for you to get your laptop out or something? Honestly, this feels rather silly now that I’m here. I’m not even sure if I should be.” </p><p>“Oh, the recorder is all ready for recording on. We transcribe them after the fact. It’s easier to do it that way.”</p><p>“On that old piece of junk? Wouldn’t a- I dunno, anything'd be better than an old recorder?”</p><p>“You’d think. The system we’ve got in place works better with recorders. Harder to misplace than a usb drive and easier to label. Nothing for you to worry about”</p><p>“If you say so. It’s no wonder your lot aren’t taken seriously.” </p><p>“Right. Well if you wouldn’t mind stating your name, the date, and what your statement is regarding for the record.”</p><p>“My name is Naomi Herne, and I’m making a statement about the events following the funeral of my fiancé, Evan Lukas. The date is the 13th of January, 2016. Gosh, I don’t even know where to begin with this.”</p><p>“No worries, take your time. Would it be easier if I wasn’t in the room?” Jon remembered how this went last time. She’d asked him to stay, so he did. He didn’t <em>need</em> to be here this time since he already knew how it went. But maybe him leaving would help her. Compelling her seemed rude, and quite frankly, redundant. </p><p>“No, um, I would rather not be alone right now, if that isn’t a problem?” There it was. </p><p>“Not at all. Whenever you are ready, <em>why not start from the beginning</em>?” Jon eased a small amount of compulsion in that time to help her out. </p><p>And it worked. The statement went almost verbatim to how it had gone the first time after he asked. Almost like he was feeding her the script rather than her telling her tale. The only thing that ended up being different was at the end, when it turns out she wasn’t hit by a car, which took Jon by surprise. </p><p>“That's when I saw the headlights and the driver swerved. I was too nervous to say anything to them. Just told them my car had ended up in a field because of fog, and I got lost. They gave me a ride into town, but I ended up waking up in a hospital before we’d made it all the way there. I woke up in the hospital, cause I became unresponsive in his car.”</p><p>Jon nodded as he glanced to the recorder expecting it to turn off, but it didn’t. </p><p>“The weirdest part.” Naomi continued. “I’d started to have nightmares about that fog. Like maybe that’s not odd, to have something traumatic happen then to have nightmares, but these, they feel different. Like I’m less alone in them than I had been in when I experienced it.”</p><p>“That is interesting. I’m afraid I’m not able to help out with the nightmares not being as unsettling as the event itself, but we would be happy to look into the graveyard for you.”</p><p>“Thanks. So, um what now?” </p><p>“We look into it and get back to you with what we find?” </p><p>“That’s it? Like no advice or anything?”</p><p>“No...um, maybe get a cat or two? Hard to feel lonely with two critters demanding meals and affection. Case and point?” Jon points to the Marshall who is demanding attention from Naomi. </p><p>“She is very loving. That why you have her around?”</p><p>“Mmhmm, a friend decided I needed a little critter to babysit me. Quite helpful.”</p><p>“I’ll have to see how it would go then.”</p><p>Jon handed her a note with a number. “This might be terribly unprofessional of me, but if you get cats, I collect cat pictures, and have a lot of cat care references.”</p><p>“That is terribly unprofessional. I hope this is strictly cat business, and not something more?”</p><p>“More?...oh <em>Oh</em>! No no, not at all. I’m not- Sorry if it came off that way. I’ve got a boyfriend so it’s strictly cat-related, unless you need a hand with anything unsettling. I can help with that too.” </p><p>She laughed and handed Marshall over to Jon. “Your boyfriend is lucky then.” She takes the note. “I’ll keep it in mind. Um. Thanks.”</p><p>Jon nodded as they said their goodbyes and Sasha showed Naomi out. </p><p>Martin came in with tea to check on Jon. “How’d it go?”</p><p>“Almost identical to last time. Few things different, me being in her dreams unnoticed seemed to push out the Lonely bits.”</p><p>“That’s good. Suppose we should expect a text from her tomorrow morning asking about why you were in her dreams?”</p><p>Jon buried his face into Marshall. “I forgot to warn her…”</p><p>“You did.” Martin Knew Jon had forgotten to really warn Naomi like they’d planned.</p><p>“Well, guess we will find out how it goes.”</p><p>“Mmhmm. In other news, the realtor is ready to close on the place we were looking at.”</p><p>Jon’s eyes lit up, literally while he took a look for himself. “That didn’t even take long. They were really happy to sell it just like that.”</p><p>“Yupp. Probably helps that they wanted to move on from the place and never look back.” </p><p>Jon nodded. “I never thought Nikola would have so many bases around the city. I feel bad for my old landlord now for letting her take over my lease.”</p><p>“She wants mine to now.”</p><p>Jon groaned at the thought. “Why does Nikki want to have so many flats…”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hiatus over~ got some chapter backlog built up again~ </p><p>Listening to Naomi's statement again, I forgot how much energy she had for someone affected by the Lonely &gt;w&gt;) I mostly just listened to the beginning, so I tried to keep that energy through the chapter. My only regret for this chapter was while posting it, I wondered if Martin joined in now, like if he and Jon would hold hands while watching nightmares.</p><p>Next time expect some domestic fun &gt;:3c</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0045"><h2>45. Move in day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>so many characters...I think I like to torture myself sometimes x'DD gunna be some weird conversation breaks</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Where the fuck’d you get the money to buy a 3 story, Sims?” Basira had to see the place to believe it, so she and Daisy had come to help Jon and Martin move into their new place.</p><p>“Elias. I told him to give us the money for it cause I know what his bank account looks like and it’s not like he will need it when I end the world. Not that I’m planning on it, but he couldn’t rebuttal it cause then he would accept he needed the money in case. Not like the bastard will miss it. Also, you all got raises.”</p><p>Tim did an air fist pump before grabbing one of the boxes from the moving truck and taking it inside. </p><p>“No more apocalypse talk.” Sasha climbed down from the moving truck. “Didn’t you say some of your uni friends were coming to join in?”</p><p>Jon nodded. “Yeah, Brian decided he was going to help, and Lyf is in town so they figured they would drop by.”</p><p>“More like Brian is probably dragging them here.” </p><p>Jon smiled. “Wouldn’t be surprising.” </p><p>“Be nice to meet them. Basira was telling me they are about as prickly as you are.” Daisy was exiting Jon’s new place leaving the door open for Tim and Sasha. </p><p>Jon gave her a look before going to grab a box himself. </p><p>It’d been one heck of a move so far. Finding a place they could move into so suddenly would’ve required a bit of luck, if Jon hadn’t Known the listing just went up and wouldn’t have been hard to get. The realtor was very friendly and played the whole, ‘wow, what fantastic timing!’. Both Jon and Martin laughed with her about it. </p><p>It was a small house sandwiched between a family of 5 on one side, and the other had an older couple. There was enough of a yard they could have a small garden that may or may not be enhanced using the Leitner that Jon forgot to burn from several months ago. Might as well use it to help bring some life into a yard that needed some extra love. Jon figured he would just use the book while passively pretending to read outside once spring starts to come along. </p><p>In the meantime, getting the inside ready was the goal. Between all of Jon’s and Martin’s things, they had enough to fill their bedroom, a guest room, the kitchen, and living room pretty snuggly. Leaving the 3rd floor open for what Jon was going to call his personal Archive. He’d come up with the idea after a nap he had at work, that he wanted to be able to have a backup space. Also, it could double as a pantry for Martin, should he ever end up becoming dependent on statements like he had. They both weren’t all that sure if Martin would follow in Jon’s footsteps or not. </p><p>To get it all set up, Jon and Martin planned on slowly stealing all the good statements from Jonah. </p><p>It was a good hour before Brian had text Jon that he and Lyf were only minutes away, so Jon figured it would be a good time for everyone to take a break inside. Martin was excited to use the stovetop for the first time. </p><p>Jon went left everyone to lock up the truck while they waited. There was a “pop” sound behind Jon, followed by a small stinging pain in the back of Jon’s head. There was laughter from the direction of the sound behind him. </p><p>“If it wasn’t me, you would be really embarrassed right now.”</p><p>“Come on Jonny, can’t blame me for it, can you? Let me have my revenge.” Brian held up a fancy looking nerf gun that was decked out to look as steampunk as possible. </p><p>“I suppose I’ve had that revenge coming since the last show hm?” Jon smiled picking up the bullet.</p><p>“Mmhmm, your poor gun has missed you in my storage. I brought a box of your things.”</p><p>“You mean I brought them…” Lyf stood with a box while they looked very unimpressed. “Marius sends his regards. He couldn’t get off work for the visit.” </p><p>Jon looked at his two friends with a smile. “Thanks. I can’t believe you hung onto all our old gear this whole time.”</p><p>“Yeah, didn’t feel right to just toss it. Here.” Brian handed Jon the nerf gun. “If you wanna toss it, that is on you.”</p><p>“I doubt I could.” Jon laughed at the old trinket. He remembered just gluing on gears to make it look cooler after painting it, then eagerly working on other's stage weapons. </p><p>“Shame you all broke up before I could get any good to join, considering you used my name in a story.” Lyf shoved the box to Brian now that his hands were free. “I can play the cello now, so you better include me in any reunion shows.” </p><p>“Doubt I’d have time, but who knows.” Jon started to walk towards his place and the other two followed. </p><p>-- </p><p>Jon introduced Brian and Lyf to the archive crew and there was some friendly banter between Brian and Basira afterwards. Martin and Lyf started to debate about tea versus coffee when Daisy pulled Jon into the other room.</p><p>“Jon, I’m sure you noticed, cause that your thing, to notice...but that Lyf…”</p><p>“Yeah, they’ve got a pretty hefty mark from the spiral. I wouldn’t be surprised if they became sometime in the next year. Doesn’t look like anything to be worried about, but I might text them about it later.”</p><p>“Hmm, you really do just attract the entities don’t you…?” Daisy gave Jon a sharp look.</p><p>“Maybe it's my shampoo?” Jon grinned as Daisy punched his arm. </p><p>“Yes, the embodiments of horrors like your shampoo. That has to be it.”</p><p>“Martin likes it.”</p><p>“Of course he likes it you dork.”</p><p>“Let's head back before anyone misses us.”</p><p>--</p><p>Jon interacting with his friends from uni was so entertaining to Martin. It was an angle that he’d never really seen. Like there was the new years party, but this wasn’t a party. It was just hanging out. The joy he saw in Jon just relaxing, no fears what so ever. Heck, there was a nerf gun fight in their new home when they had found a second gun in the box Brian found. </p><p>Jon didn’t miss a shot, and each time Brian acted over dramatically. Brian appeared to be equally good, and to see Jon just fall limp each time he was hit made Martin melt. He’d never known Jon could be so dramatic. Even after watching some of the live shows on youtube, the makeup and stage lighting added a small barrier, or maybe a filter? However, seeing it in action, not Jonny, Jon without makeup, just Jon, falling over laughing. Martin had a poem to write. </p><p>--</p><p>The rest of helping move things in went pretty smoothly. Daisy, Tim, Martin, and Brian took care of the large furniture, with Brian offering to help get the desks to the 3rd floor once Martin and Jon got around to it. There was also a bit of joking into Jon’s uselessness in setting up the large things while he was in the kitchen unpacking boxes with Lyf. </p><p>Majority of the group left after the truck was finished, leaving only Brian and Lyf behind. Brian was helping Martin set up the beds in the main room and guest rooms leaving Jon and Lyf alone. </p><p>“You work in a place that deals with weird encounters right?” Lyf was staring at a cup they held.</p><p>“Mmhmm. Bump into something odd I take it.” Jon sounded a little distance. He could taste a statement, but he wasn’t going to take it from Lyf. All his friends were off-limits.</p><p>“Yeah. Feels like a joke played on me from a cosmic level to be honest, considering the story you wrote about the Bifrost. I keep thinking it was just a terrible nightmare, but I can’t shake that it happened. I had to take a train north for work, and once I was on it, the train went on for what seemed like infinity. No matter which way I went, I couldn’t make it to the front or back- ” </p><p>“<strong>Stop</strong>. You can’t tell me anymore.”</p><p>Lyf looked a bit confused and slightly offended.</p><p>“I- Sorry, it’s just.” Jon took a breath and closed his eyes. “It's complicated, and not that I don’t want to help you, but there are side effects from telling me stories like that.”</p><p>“Side effects, what the heck does that mean?” Lyf didn’t sound amused. </p><p>“The weird thing that happened to you on the train, I had something similar happen-”</p><p>“Oh shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to- if you aren’t comfortable-”</p><p>“No, no don’t worry about that. Thank you, but it’s not a trauma response, Let me explain it a bit better.” Jon composed himself a bit. “I just had an, <em>encounter</em>, with something that I can’t shake, and that thing feeds off stories like what happened to you. The side effects would be on your side.”</p><p>Lyf laughed. Jon wasn’t expecting a laugh like that cause it wasn’t a taunting sort. </p><p>“The irony of that. It’s a joke on us both. The great Jonny D’ville, story extraordinaire, bound to a monster that eats stories, while Inspector Lyfrassir Edda has a run-in with a terrifying train. The universe hates us. You could probably yell ‘called it’ and some cosmic being will just go ‘drat’ in response.” </p><p>Jon joined in with Lyf after hearing that. “You’re right. This is ridiculous.“ It was 3 for 3 encounters if one took in Nikki affilation to the Stranger, but Jon wasn't going to share that with them. </p><p>Lyf’s eyes had a bit of a colorful swirl to them once they both stopped. “So what now?”</p><p>“We continue taking mugs out of boxes?” Jon looked at them like it was an obvious answer.</p><p>“I didn’t- I mean about the things we encountered? Do we just deal with it?”</p><p>“What I’ve been doing. I tried fighting it, didn’t go well for me. I’m here if you want help, but I can’t listen to the tale. The side effects are unpleasent. Might even hit you harder cause technically the two entries we bumped into don’t normally play together nicely.” </p><p>“So like cats and dogs?”</p><p>“More like cats and cats.” </p><p>Lyf made a face. “Oh, <em>thats</em>- thanks for the warning.”  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I tried to look up how housing in London works, and I came to the conclusion that it's close enough to how San Francisco’s housing works, so I’m partially basing it off that too. And did buying a house go far too smoothly? Probably. [I want my domestic fluff fast]</p><p>And I think both Jon and Lyf having encounters is clever and been giggling about it. having to mildly prickly characters interatcting at the same time who have the same mental voice over in my mind might not have been the smartest move on my part though. Was very hard to write....</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0046"><h2>46. New house smell</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With the move in complete, Jon and Martin retrieved the Marshal from Georgie’s place and returned home. To their Home. They both settled into the couch while they enjoyed hearing everything the Marchal was getting into. Occasionally Jon would See to make sure she wasn't into anything that could hurt her while she explored.</p><p>--</p><p>Martin’s alarm clock went off at it’s normal time before the sun would peek in through the blinds. </p><p>“Jon...I need to turn it off…”</p><p>Jon gave a mumbling ‘no’ as he nuzzled into Martin further. </p><p>“It’s only going to get louder.”</p><p>Jon’s response wasn’t able to be understood, almost sounding like static just being sent directly to Martin. Martin didn’t understand it, but it was a good indicator just how deep Jon was still in the dreams. </p><p>Martin let out a sign as he crawled over Jon to hit the snooze on the alarm clock. While he was happy Jon’s gotten better at sleeping and getting some rest, he also has gotten to be quite the deep sleeper. Martin assumed it had something to do with the way Jon’s dreams changed after he became the Archive, since Jon had told him details a few months back. </p><p>Martin leaned back in bed, unable to gain his freedom. “Jon. We are gunna be late to work, our travel time is a bit longer than when we were at my flat.”</p><p>“I‘m the boss. We can never be late cause I say so…” Jon’s mumbles were a little more understandable. Martin moving got Jon a little closer to the waking world. </p><p>“Okay. Whatever you say Boss.” Martin leaned into the cuddling partner and gave him a light kiss on the top of Jon’s head. </p><p>“Mmhmm…” </p><p>Martin laid there for a while longer before trying again. “So, I was thinking this weekend we could try installing that little cat door on the bedroom door.”</p><p>“Our….” </p><p>“Hmm? Our what?”</p><p>“Our bedroom door. Not ‘the’. It’s our door, Martin.”</p><p>Martin couldn't hold back the laugh.</p><p>“What so funny…” Jon was starting to sound a little more there.</p><p>“It’s, it’s the way you said it. Our door. Not mine or your’s. Not like we’ve been sharing a room for months or anything...” </p><p>“Are you teasing me?”</p><p>“Me? Teasing you?” Martin pulled in Jon while snickering. “Never.”</p><p>“I take it back. You are going to be marked late now…” Jon pouted slightly, fully awake.</p><p>“Cause you are the boss?”</p><p>“...Yes.”</p><p>--</p><p>The door altering got pushed off with Daisy showing up on the Saturday after they moved in. </p><p>“I’m here to install your cat tree Sims.” </p><p>“Hey Daisy. Thanks. I wasn’t expecting you to be bringing it in so many parts...” Jon looked to what almost looked like a pile of wood, had he not Known what the floor plan was for it, it would look like just a bunch of random wood. </p><p>“Hm, yeah. I thought about building it and bringing it here, but then I remembered none of us have a car. Don’t think this would be proper use for a cop car. Not all of us have job security like you do.”</p><p>“Heh, yeah. They draw weird lines for what is okay and not in your department. If you ever decide to quite, I’m sure Elias couldn’t stop me from adding you the payroll.” </p><p>“I would hate to work for him or you.”</p><p>“Ouch. You wound me.” Jon acted overly dramatic.</p><p>“Nothing personal. Ah, there’s your little stinker.” Daisy grinned as Marshal came to investigate what was happening in the front room. She immediately bolted to Daisy for attention.</p><p>“She’s been exploring the place like crazy. Thanks for helping with the cat tree.”</p><p>“Don’t mention it. Our’s enjoy it quite a lot, plus I notice you staring from time to time.”</p><p>“I- I’m not staring at the tree...your cats are fun to check up on when I’m bored at work…”</p><p>“Mmhmm.” Daisy tossed a mouse toy and Marshal was gone, vanished into the kitchen where the toy went.</p><p>Jon fell into the couch to keep Daisy company as she started to get the parts out for the tree. She had forbidden him to help several times throughout the week, stating ‘Jon is a disaster’ and ‘is as breakable as a baby deer’ therefore not allowed near her powertools. </p><p>“You know, I’ve been thinking about what we talked about a little while ago.” Daisy put down her tools once the first layer of the tree was complete. </p><p>“Which thing?”</p><p>“The, You know, my alignment to the Hunt. I’m. I’m done. It’s been getting rough lately. Been too long I think.”</p><p>“Makes sense. In the buried you managed for several months, even if it was a forced separation, it was still there. You decide what you want to go with?” </p><p>“I think I’ve narrowed it down...None are really that great.”</p><p>“Nope.”</p><p>“And not even sure if it will go the way we want since you claim you aren’t at full power.”</p><p>“I’m not...it would be easy otherwise.”</p><p>“Show off.” Daisy’s voice was dry, but definitely playful. Jon simply shrugged with a grin. </p><p>“Well, thinking starting with Vast honestly. Something the Hunt can’t reach? Might be fun too. Never not been chasing something.”</p><p>“Vast could be good. Spiral might be a good back up, since it’s near impossible to find something if the Spiral doesn’t want it to be found. I know some Avatars of both that could probably help out, so we wouldn’t need to completely rely on the books. Unless you would want to.”</p><p>“Look at you, social networking.” </p><p>“Ugh… don’t word it that way. Let me send them a text and see if either are free.”</p><p>“Aren’t the Vast sort always <em>free</em>?”</p><p>Jon gave her a look before returning to his phone. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Bit on the short side today. Couldn't decide how to break up the next few chapters. So this one ended up on the shorter end. Daisy getting new entity arc is on its way to being closed.</p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://ventisettestars.tumblr.com/post/632641067959926784/this-was-in-response-to-this-prompt-ended-up">I also drew some Jon and Martin cuddles. Not exactly tied to the fic, but could be x3</a></p><p> </p><p>Thanks so much for all the comments over the last few days &gt;w&lt;) I see them all just been having a hard time keeping up with my inbox again. You all are so great!!</p>
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<a name="section0047"><h2>47. Lost woods</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tw in end notes</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hello, you must be Daisy. Jon told us all about you. I’m Molly Fairchild and this is my partner, Claire.” The cheerful lady that introduced herself to Daisy smiled, her eyes filled with an unnatural and stunning blue, while her partner’s eyes glittered with the stars. They both smelled of the Vast, but in a gentle way that Daisy wasn’t expecting. Jon had mentioned they weren’t threatening, but meeting them had proven once again, Jon was terrible at describing things. </p><p>“I am. Thanks for making the trip out here. Jon mentioned you were from out of town.”</p><p>“We are. But it’s no problem. We’re going to hit up a few places in London while we are here and then crashing at Jon’s.” Claire took a sip of her coffee. </p><p>They were meeting up in a cafe for the initial meet up, without Jon. He was worried that him being there would extract a story from them talking to Daisy about how they Became. He was still watching from afar of course. His curiosity too powerful to not Know. He’d told the three of them ahead of time, with Daisy laughing while saying something along the lines of ‘how is that different from any other day with you. I’m aware I have no privacy cause you care too much.’ </p><p>Molly and Claire weren’t all that happy that Jon would be watching, but he had promised them information, no questions asked, whenever they needed it. Having a Favor owed to them from the Eye was tempting enough, but also Claire might have done it without the favor. She’d already called in the favor for having imposed on her meal all those months ago, and after they continued to talk. She’d grown pretty fond of Jon through that time. And she was always happy to share the Vast with others. It was after all how she had fallen in love with Molly. If not for the Vast, she would be in a very different place. </p><p>“So, what now?” Daisy didn’t quite know what Jon’s plan was. They had the Leitner but it didn’t seem to react the way that either of them had wanted.</p><p>“Well. I guess step one would be to tell you a little bit about us? I mean, you are already halfway there since you have made the choice, you just need to feel it. Claire would be better at explaining that, since she followed me in a much more poetic way. I just kinda stumbled into the Vast because of moments I swam through the sky each time I caught air. I always hated when my wheels would hit the ground, then one day, they didn’t. It was amazing.“ Molly’s voice dripped with fondness. “Terrifying the first time, for sure, but after that, I didn’t stop.” </p><p>“It’s so easy for you to just drop that on a stranger?” Claire looked a little more hesitant. </p><p>“Course, not often we get to talk to someone about the details. Most the other avatars are downright horrid. It’s always about ‘serve our god’ or ‘feed it or it feeds on you’ just cause some victorian prick turned it into a monster night club.” Somewhere Jon had to explain to Martin why he choked on his tea.</p><p>“We aren’t here for another one of your Smirke rants.” Claire poked.</p><p>“Yeah yeah, sorry. Just hate him. There are so many limits because of him. He tried to limit the Vast, which is the extreme opposite of the Vast, ya know?”</p><p><br/>“Mmhmm. We get it, love. So guess my turn?” </p><p>Daisy was watching intently. </p><p>“So yeah, Um, I was in a bad place, something about me seemed to attract entities, but I didn’t have a damn clue what they were, I just knew the monsters under my bed were real.” Claire let out a sigh as Molly took her hand.  “Well, thing with monsters under the bed, the grand population never experience them. So I needed to learn how to deal with them myself. I- I wasn’t very good at it, but it was good enough to navigate life? Least until the Lonely. It wasn’t the Fog sort that seems to be in all the lingering corners around here. It was, hm, like that feeling of you are in a room full of people, bleeding out from a wound, but no one calls an ambulance cause they assume the person next to them did. So they don’t, they all don’t. That sort of feeling.</p><p>“I was caught up in that, it was subtle at first that I didn’t realize it was another monster, just thought it was me feeling that no one else seemed to know the monsters were there. That I was the only one. I was Alone. By the time that I’d noticed it was a monster, just less tangible, I’d noticed I was unnoticed. Not invisible, but just no connections close enough that would notice me. So I started to do things to get myself noticed, mostly self-destructive things. </p><p>“First it was things like making obnoxious amounts of noises, then petty crimes or graffiti, hoping to get caught, but didn’t. So moved to bigger crimes. Shoplifted without even trying to hide it, and no one stopped me. I knew it was because they assumed someone else could stop me. That I shouldn’t be their problem.</p><p>“Then I met Molly.” Claire paused for a second to just look into her love’s eyes. “I could tell she was like the monsters that came to me all my life, but she was free. Like there wasn’t a care to be had around her. I hated it. The jealousy that she could be haunted by a monster, but living like a bird, wasn’t something I had an emotional intelligence to deal with. So I did the only thing I knew how to do, I went after her like all the other monsters, since until the Lonely, I’d been able to fight them off.”</p><p>“But you know what I did when she came after me?” Molly grinned, not giving Daisy a moment to guess. “I saw her! I looked at her and knew she was being clung to by a nasty strain of Lonely. And I was very aware of Smirke and other Avatars cause the Fairchilds like to adopt anyone into their family that has connections to the Vast. So I looked her right in the eyes and asked-”</p><p>“She asked me if I ever tried flying. Not even a hi or a greeting. Just stretched her hand out.” </p><p>“In my defense, the Lonely sort tend to run when you see them.”</p><p>“I didn’t run though. I took her hand, and then flew. Wasn’t till a year or so later I truly gave myself to the Vast and got my sky. Till then the Lonely was still clinging to me, and I was tired of it. Molly being the only one to see me. After that, things went easy. I’m not a Fairchild. I refuse to take on the name unless through marriage.” Molly blushed when Claire said marriage.  “She’s gotta ask me. Otherwise we take on my last name.” Claire grinned and Daisy laughed. </p><p>“Sounds like quite the adventure.” Daisy finished up her coffee. “What did you do? To shake the Lonely?”</p><p>“Hm, well it mostly came to choice, but honestly Molly would be the one to help out there. She walked me through it like it was a dream. Like guiding me through a maze of fear.” </p><p>Molly nodded. “That's why we are both here. I was gunna help since the book didn’t do anything but give vertigo. My connection to the Vast is a bit more on the expansiveness of it all, rather than the falling. Claire’s is a bit more along the lines of the calming beauty. Both are terrifying in their own right to the right people, but otherwise, its very pleasant. I like having date nights in Claire’s sky.” </p><p>“We should probably do it someplace were there are less people, preferably with the Archivist near in case the Hunt is too powerful. He can stare it down by force.” Claire shrugged. She wasn’t sure what Jon’s deal was, but he was too powerful for a normal Avatar of the Eye. She’d asked him once, but all he said was he was the Archive and it was in his nature, like that made any sense to her. Whatever it was, would be handy since it seemed like something about the fears bent around him and to his whims.</p><p>“I know a place. Where no one would be. It’s in a forested area.” </p><p>“Sounds good. Sure Jon Knows the place, so we can meet on the way there.” Molly smiled knowing Jon was listening in. </p><p>Daisy looked a little guilty after Molly said that. Jon knows it alright.</p><p>---</p><p>Jon met up with them at one of the stations and climbed into the car that Claire had driven up to London. The two of them texted each other the meet up location much as Molly wanted to have Jon show up all ominously since that was this thing. Daisy pointed out Jon only had two skinny legs and would take him hours to pull that off. </p><p>Jon was a bit nervous once they reached the tree line, and drove into the forest. He and Daisy both didn’t seem too willing to talk for a bit before Molly started asking them things to do in London. They started to talk about various date spots they’d gone to. Daisy supplied places with low populations that her and Basira had gone too, while the majority of places Jon suggested were places with quite a lot of foot traffic. </p><p>Once they got to a clearing, Jon stood by the car with Claire, while Molly and Daisy got just out of ear shot. Jon agreeing to not tap into audio, just visual to keep Molly safe if need be. </p><p>Molly set up a blanket in a small cleared space. “This looks like it should be. If you want to sit on the blanket and close your eyes, then we can get this party started.” </p><p>Daisy nodded. Her blood was starting to rush a little. Like the Hunt was aware of what was happening. That it would fight this.</p><p>“Don’t worry. It will be fine. Claire was nervous too. It was almost hard to focus on her when shared the Vast with her. You ready?”</p><p>“I am. It’s-I’m ready. I’m just scared-”</p><p>Molly’s expression shifted. “I would hope so. Wouldn’t be any fun for me if you weren’t. Now close your eyes so you don’t see something move and lose focus.”</p><p>Daisy did. Molly had told her about this, and it was important that Daisy keep her eyes closed to isolate the Hunt in her system. A blindfold wouldn’t do the trick since this required Daisy to fully want this. If she opened her eyes, then it would mean she hadn’t been ready. </p><p>“Now. Don’t focus on the chase, hear it, but don’t answer. Focus on the space around, all that contains the endless grounds that watch over the chase. Don’t focus on the end results, but instead that there will always be the hunting ground. The air around that provides the life to both the hunter and the hunted in that space. Not the call the blood sings of, but the speed in which it sings, the voice that carries the call. It won't be as strong as the call to hunt, but it’s there.</p><p>“Accept the call to the endless songs of the sky, and let it lead you from the Hunt. <strong><em>Let go and breathe.</em></strong>”  </p><p>Daisy inhaled and smelled ozone. </p><p>“I’m going to push now. When I do, remember your choice and good luck.” </p><p>The air rushed from Daisy’s lungs like she was falling. She could still feel the ground below her, Daisy wasn’t falling, but every nerve in her body was screaming she was. Her blood rushed, urged her to fight back, to Hunt the creature doing this to her. Urged her to open her eyes and attack.</p><p><em>Daisy kept her eyes closed.</em> Tried to gasp for air with no such luck. It felt like eternity for a moment. She didn’t understand until suddenly eternity felt tangible. Endless and Impossible, she could feel them, understand them without words, if only for a moment. </p><p>And she could breathe again. </p><p>Daisy inhaled a sweet breath and exhaled. The blood was quiet. The forest was quiet. There wasn’t the need to chase. </p><p>Daisy opened her eyes and before her was an endless forest, with sunbeams filtering through the canopy, light-catching on the particles in the air. There was no Sky here, but there didn’t need to be. It was there and Daisy could feel it expanding over her forest. Her empty forest with nothing to hunt, but no reason to hunt. </p><p>It wasn’t the pain like it had been while she was in the Coffin. This place would cause pain, but not to her. <em>Never to her.</em> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>tw: canon typical Lonely flavored isolation, crime mentioned, vertigo, suffication</p><p>---</p><p>So I’ve had this idea that Daisy wouldn’t really be able to shake the Hunt like just washing off mud, cause there was a lot she did that wasn’t okay and she had been feeding it for so long. So transitioning to the Vast, the other things that influenced her, would still be there, but just not as a powerful force. She did some of her worst deeds in the forest, so it only seemed right that her Vast domain would be an endless inescapable forest. Never quite being free enough from what she did to soar through the sky, but enough that she can enjoy air and calm of the forest. There is probably a tiny bit of the Eye there cause Jon’s been hovering over her for last several months, and she did work for the Eye by contract. </p><p>I’ll probably go into it in more detail in story as Daisy would figure out how to feed the Vast, but basically, when she sends people to her forest, she will watch them while they fear that they are being hunted. She'd never really have the need to hunt them, cause there is no fun in the chase here. The Vast feeds on the fear of their never being an end, not getting caught. So kinda this weird paranoia fear you get from being lost in the woods. </p><p>I'm so happy I finally got to this part &gt;&lt;) I've really come to enjoy all the different ways that the Vast can be a thing, and her having a forest rather than a sky had been floating around since I came up with it while brain storming. Also hope you enjoyed my Vast ladies~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0048"><h2>48. Just normal Saturday night things</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Molly returned to Jon and Claire after Daisy entered a domain. She knew that Daisy didn’t enter hers, but she wasn’t all that sure where Daisy went. </p><p>“Di’t work?” She looked to Jon.</p><p>“Yes. Now we wait for her to come back.” Jon had a smile on his face. That was one worry he wouldn’t have to be concerned with now. “Till then, Martin and I made a list of places you could both go while you are in town.”</p><p>“We already picked some places, but thanks.” Claire laughed as Jon’s expression shifted to something less happy, but not angry. Made her think of the look a puppy might give when a toy they brought was ignored. “We can keep it in mind for the next trip when your place is all finished.” </p><p>Molly practically floated in place. “You will have to have us again for that! I gotta see how you both decorate! Which thinking of, we should have you over some time. I’m crazy proud of how we set up our place! Like in person, not just Seeing in your weird creepy way.” </p><p>Molly then proceeded to spend the next hour telling Jon about interior decorating, and mistakes to avoid as first-time homeowners. </p><p>“You should be taking notes on all these wonderful pointers.”</p><p>“What do you think an Archive does? I don’t forget anything. Ever.”</p><p>“Hmm I guess, but what if you forget which parts you need to remember? Doesn’t your head ever get scrambled with so much in there?”</p><p>“I mean, sometimes, but normally no.”</p><p>“Yikes. I would hate to be you.”</p><p>“Thanks Molly. You know how to make a guy feel good about themselves.” </p><p>“No problem. As I was saying about bathrooms…” Molly continued until Daisy came out of the deeper parts of the forest around the time the sun was starting to set.</p><p>“Finally! Thought I would have to listen to Jon and Molly talk about house interior all night. How you feeling?” </p><p>“I feel different. It-its a good kind of different, but maybe a little on the lost side? But it feels like how the Hunt made me feel. It feels right?” Daisy looked to them, her eyes were green now and seemed to glimmer with shifting patches of gold, not unlike how sunlight passes through leaves.</p><p>“Sounds about right.” Claire smiled as she went to the driver’s side of the car. “We can talk more in the car. I dunno about you, but I could go for some food, Jon’s treat of course.”</p><p>“Of Course. I wouldn’t dream of not treating. Not like it’s not Fairchild money even if I’m the one using it.”</p><p>Molly laughed. “Simon really does enjoy the institute quite a bit. I wonder why.”</p><p>Jon shrugs. “Even I couldn’t tell you his motives. There is Literally no end plan other than he does what he wants.”</p><p>Daisy was a bit in a daze while they made their way out of the forest and back into London. Her mind lingered on the Vast, almost getting to know it while the others started ranting about the dumb old men in their lives. It was mostly Molly and Jon complaining about Simon and Elias. Daisy wasn’t even the slightest bit interested. </p><p>---</p><p>They had dropped Daisy off at home before grabbing food. She was hungry, but she wanted to be with Basira and her cats, maybe get a nap in cause she felt weak. Part of Daisy wasn’t sure if it was hunger for food, or Hunger. Since she’d never actually feed the Vast before, Claire warned her that could be what was making her weak. But neither Claire nor Molly had any idea how to feed a forest. Jon suggested showing Basira, inviting her into the forest since she was least likely to get lost. The Eye favored her too much to enable any other entity to have her apparently. </p><p>Daisy was surprised when she didn’t feel that rush in her blood at the thought of Basira being taken from her. She still didn’t want to share Basira, but it wasn’t the same urge to form a pack she used to have. </p><p>Daisy wasn’t confident in the thought of inviting Basira in just yet, even with Jon insisting it would be fine. He might Know everything, but Knowing and knowing weren’t the same. Coffin was case and point to that.</p><p>Daisy was on the couch covered in cats when Basira came back from her shift. </p><p>“Welcome home. Big case hold you up?”</p><p>“Hey, no. I was just distracted most the day so paperwork took extra time.” Basira glanced to Daisy and was instantly focused on Daisy’s eyes. “Went well for you?”</p><p>“Yeah. It’s a forest.”</p><p>“Oh?” </p><p>“Mmhmm. Nice calm forest. I’ll show you sometime. You might like it. Bring a book?” </p><p>“Sounds like a date.” Basira pushed Daisy’s legs aside to make room for herself on the couch. Daisy readjusted to cuddle up to her as she did so. </p><p>“I was so scared it wouldn’t work. That you would have to make good on that promise.”</p><p>“Me too. I really didn’t want to have to help you. I should’ve been there...”</p><p>“Nah, work’s work. You didn’t miss much. Apparently Molly and Jon just talked about interior design the whole time.”</p><p>“Oh yeah. That sounds like a bad time. One of them would probably scorn our books for walls rather than wallpaper.” There were no visible walls to paper with each room filled with bookshelves. She knew Jon loved it.</p><p>“Or comment on our lack of matching pillows.” </p><p>“That bothers me, but not enough to do anything about it. They function so it's good enough.” </p><p>“Mm.” Daisy began to get sleepy now that she was at max comfort between Basira and their cats. </p><p>“Daisy, if you nap on me I can’t get dinner.” </p><p>“Don’t need food. Lemmie stay like this for a bit.”</p><p>“Sure. just a bit. Then I’m pushing you off.” Basira grabbed a book to occupy herself while Daisy napped. Once Daisy was fully asleep, she sent a quick text to Jon that was just ‘thank you’ then returned to her book. </p><p>---</p><p>Things weren’t as calm at the Blackwood-Sims home. Claire and Martin had gotten into something of a competition for preparing Tea while they were waiting for take out to be ready. Jon and Molly had offered to go get it, since the place Jon wanted to try was close enough to their new place, getting it delivered felt wrong. It was only a few blocks. </p><p>Neither could have foretold the chaos 10 minutes could bring. </p><p>“Martin, Martin.” Claire’s voice dripped with spite. “Relying on temperature to brew the tea is key. You can’t just trust that the water will be to the proper warmth by just timing it. Rooms will change the rate of the starting water.”</p><p>“I’m not going to use a thermometer in my kettle. Using the bubbling pattern and steam is more than enough to know when the water is just right.” </p><p>“That’s how you end up with Burnt Tea Martin.”</p><p>“Are you... Are you implying I burn my tea?” </p><p>“Maybe. How would you know? You don’t check the temp of it.” </p><p>“Wooh there. Both of you.” Jon could feel the static in air and interrupted. </p><p>“Jon, you heard her.”</p><p>“And I mean it.” Claire huffed.</p><p>“I did. And I’m not saying she is right,” Jon held up his hand as Claire looked like she was going to send them both to the stars. “But we can talk about this rationally. I know you don’t burn the tea Martin. It’s delicious every time. You both simply prepare things differently.“</p><p>“Well, I would like a thermometer to be able to make my tea the way I would like it.” Claire went over to Molly and hugged her to help calm down.</p><p>“Er, we don’t have one, but I could Know the temperature if you would like. Martin might be able to as well.” </p><p>“Hmm fine. I’ll have you know though, and it doesn’t get to count as my one free Knowing.”</p><p>Jon laughed. “I wouldn’t Dare use a loophole like that. We are the ones that don’t have a temperature gauge for our kitchen.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Wanted some soft basira/daisy time. but also realized while writing it, I picture them just chilling most the time like an old married couple that could sit on a porch for hours without words and just enjoy each other. </p><p>Also the Vast Gals would end up having a lovely weekend on the town. Claire and Martin would probably end up having a tea making stand off were Molly and Jon had to try both teas without knowing who made who, with Jon swearing not to Know for fairness sake, and they would have to point out which tea was better, or pick out their lover's brewed tea blind folded. (the feed was orginally them going to be bonding over tea, but I got bored after writing a sentice, so it turned to war.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0049"><h2>49. Train graveyard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW and glitch text in end notes. </p><p>So more Melanie and Jon time sooner than I thought xD Double checked some timeline dates and had some out of order, so shuffled some of my chapters around. Messes with the flow a tiny bit, but shouldn’t be much of a problem. There is also a bit of a time skip of about 3-4 months since the last chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon had been helping Melanie with her research into more intense hauntings and monsters around the London area. After the episode that was released with the Dark house, many of her crew bailed, not to unlike the first time around since her pursuits were growing a little too dangerous for their tastes. Even with a diminished team, her views went through the roof. And they continued that way, so Jon took up helping her out more frequently. Either by helping her find nice destinations or by being her cameraman. </p><p>Melanie spent some of the time trying to push Jon into trying different filming methods, various equipment, and seeing how they interact with his powers. They ended up learning that recording with VHS camcorders makes it show Jon can appear on film, it even can pick up his eyes with little to no glitching. That footage converts to digital with little to no errors, specially if they got Nikki to handle the conversion to digital. </p><p>That led to Jon needing to explain that Nikki was also something less than human, even more so when he was, but her deal was that details can’t be specified or it hurts her. So Melanie let it slide, but also clarified that Nikki wasn’t allowed to join the team. </p><p>In the end, Jon continued to used the normal stuff he used with the Dark mansion. Occasionally helping cheese some glitch effects here and there. He was starting to enjoy it, partially for how lack of end of the worldly it felt, and partially because he had a hunch when people saw his glitches, it counted as feeding the Eye. People loved the effects in the comments, so no harm done in the end.</p><p>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>CF Booth Scrap Metal and Recycling Yard in Rotherham sometime in April. </strong>
  </span>
</p><p>“You sure security is distracted?”</p><p>“No. Not like I’m able to watch where each of them are at all times, or distort all the video feeds we are passing.”</p><p>“Oh piss off.”</p><p>Jon snickered. </p><p>“I was just checking. I don’t want to get caught here, they take trespassing very seriously.”</p><p>“I’m aware. Hope they don’t end up pulling a strike on your channel when this goes up. If we are able to post the footage at all.”</p><p>“Why wouldn’t we? You’ve gotten good at not corrupting the footage files.”</p><p>“I’ve told you, Melanie, the ghosts here are violent. The only reason I’m here is to make sure you don’t get stabbed.” </p><p>“You’ve said, and I don’t quite believe you. But I’m still wearing leather for you.”</p><p>“My leather. I’m going to be bummed when there is a hole in it. I’ll make you replace it.”</p><p>“Still can’t believe what happened to your taste in clothes. Thats the spookiest thing of all this is how you lost all taste in clothing. Anyway, there is something here that no one else wants to investigate. Locations most ghost hunters avoid have become a thing for my channel, I’m not going to pass this up.”</p><p>“I know. And I keep telling you the reason.” Jon sighed as he got footage of the scraps and metals in the area around. So they would have enough footage for the editors to fill in the space if the Slaughter ended up getting too gorey, which Jon was almost certain that it would. </p><p>“Yup. And it's come upon me, to share it with the world. We close.”</p><p>“Yes. Let me get some more footage before we get there or there won’t be enough for an episode.”</p><p>“You are surprisingly good at this. Like know it’s been months, but who knew you would be so into it.”</p><p>“I was into theater and had a band. Why do you always get so surprised when I do things?”</p><p>“Cause your you.” </p><p>“Very lovely explanation. Look my way for a sec. You don’t have to say anything, I’m going to make some glitches in the window behind you, and I think it will look nice if you are oblivious to it for the shot.”</p><p>“Look at you, Mr.Sims setting up shots.” </p><p>“Hmm, indeed.” Jon didn’t plan to feed that uncombated. “While I’m learning about setting up a new career, don’t you think it's about time you started thinking about setting yourself up with Georgie?”</p><p>“Jonathan Eyeball Sims. How dare you say that on film!” </p><p>“That’s not my middle name. Don’t worry, Static is recording for effect, niced shocked look by the way. Works with the shot.” </p><p>Melanie growled and turned with a huff. </p><p>“That wasn’t an answer by the way.”</p><p>“I- That's not the point. I’m sure she isn’t into me.”</p><p>“I assure you if you ask her out on a date, things will be smooth.”</p><p>“Why are you pushing?”</p><p>“Surprisingly, it’s because I’m capable of caring, and think you two would be sweet together? You like her so what is the problem.”</p><p>“The problem is I don’t want to talk about it while on my way to confront the murder ghosts you are scared of.”</p><p>“I’m not scared of them. I’m scared for you. You are far more fragile than me.” Jon could see the rage growing from her. “Not that you are weak. I’m just, I have rapid healing, Melanie. You know what I mean.”</p><p>“Fine, yeah. Enough about my lack of love life.”</p><p>“Mmm, want to talk about mine?”</p><p>“Ugh Jon you are so gross sometimes.” Jon could see the rage settling a bit. No reason to get her mad before an encounter with the Slaughter. He might have picked a bad time to push buttons. He was minorly unsure if it was just his own lack of tact, or if it was the Slaughter in the air. He was able to taste is as they got closer. </p><p>“I know. I’ll have to gross you out later though. We just got into range. Should see the car soon.”</p><p>They got quiet as they approached. There was the boxcar. The blood in the air was enough for Melanie to taste, while Jon seemed to almost enjoy it. She’d gotten used to that look, like he was preparing for a meal. Melanie learned to take it as a sign there were going to be some good shots. </p><p>That was in fact an understatement. She opened the door and there was blood. It coated the door and dripped from the car. She made a ‘blehk’ noise as the blood stuck to her hand and looked into the car. </p><p>Melanie exhaled shapely. There was a moving body bag and a muffled scream coming from it. Almost as if on queue, a figure lunged from the shadows wielding a scalpel. They stabbed into the victim just as before, and it noticed Melanie. The scalpel didn’t connect with her arm like it had in the past, though she wouldn’t have known the difference. </p><p>Jon did. He gave her a push to get her out of the way. Melanie collided with the bloody cot that held the screaming bag, blood getting all over her in the process. The blood came from the direction of Jon.</p><p>Jon opened all his eyes to stare down the Slaughter ghost whose slash connected with Jon’s throat. Martin was going to be upset and his shirt was ruined, but those were thoughts for later. This was going to be a pain to heal, so what came out of his mouth was Static. </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Tel̯͂ļ̓ ͎̘͡͠m̳͍̏̈́e ̙͚̺̆̐̀yo̗̹͂͟ȕ̧͕͙͝r̢͎͍͔̲̂̊̇̌͗̔͟ ͓̎S͔͒t̟o̲͍̲̖̗͐͊́͊̇͘͟ry̡̫̟̏̇͝.̡͚̠̤͍̱̟̻̗̼̊̂͐͌̅̈́̑͘̚” </em> </strong>
</p><p>The Ghost did. While it told tales of terrible violence and gore, all three present in the car were froze by Jon’s Gaze. The bag didn’t scream, Melanie could barely breathe, the wound on Jon’s neck seemed to heal as the ghost of a man, who looked to be some sort of medic, told it’s terrors. </p><p>As the Ghost got close to the end of his tales, his form started to glitch, as well as the body in the bag. Once finished extracting the story, the Ghost let out a scream and vanished, leaving an empty car with only Jon’s blood remaining. </p><p>“Shit.” Melanie’s breath was no longer stuck in her throat as she took a moment to process everything. </p><p>Jon closed his eyes and fell to his knees and reached for his throat. </p><p>“Oh God. Jon.” Melanie rushed over, panic on her face.”Let me see. Christ there is so much blood...”</p><p>“I’m- I’m fine. Just hurts a little. See?” He removed his hand, and there was a cut across his throat that was starting to form what looked to have started to scar already. </p><p>“Christ Jon. I’m so sorry. You kept trying to warn me.”</p><p>“S’fine. I’ve had worse.”</p><p>“That doesn’t make it better you know.” Melanie took a closer look at it but wanted to keep talking for fear of just panic kicking in. “What did you just do?”</p><p>“That was...Sorry, it’s not pleasant to witness, but that was how I eat fear. And since they were only ghosts, their entire being was fear. So once I took it...They kinda didn’t have anything else to keep them existing.”</p><p>“Oh. That’s...hm...“ She took a deep breath, and regretted the smell of iron that came in with the air. “Did it taste good?”</p><p>Jon let out a choked laugh. “What??”</p><p>“Like, did it taste good? Would you want to keep doing it if we continued going to dangerous places, if we went better prepared?”</p><p>Jon paused for a moment to think. “If we went better prepared...it wasn’t bad. I’m not the biggest fan of this kind of...these kinds of fears. But they are filling.”</p><p>Melanie nodded and pulled away from checking out the cut on his neck. It was already finished bleeding. “Then. We keep on. But maybe tone down the content, or least the way we frame it for youtube. Unless we started to set it up like it’s a show. Like being all, ‘this is intentional gore for effects’ kinda thing.” </p><p>“You... you seem to calm about all this…”</p><p>“Well, I’m not the one that got stabbed...Thanks for that, and we aren’t in a good place for me to freak out. I’ll do it later once we are home or something.”</p><p>Jon nodded. “I’ll be here for you if you need to.”</p><p>“Mmhmm, probably once we get clean up and settled in the hotel room. How to get there covered in blood…”</p><p>“I got that covered. Keeping eyes off us isn’t so hard. Especially after a meal.”</p><p>--</p><p>They had returned to the hotel without incident, so this time Melanie didn’t become a crazy meme because getting caught by security. Melanie did end up freaking out quite a bit in the hotel room where Jon helped her calm down, with maybe a little help from compulsion to get her to breath when it got bad. </p><p>Took about a week for Melanie to be able to discuss what happened enough to turn it to an episode for the show. They ended up toning things down, and rerecorded some of the narrative that Jon took from the ghost, cut a great deal of footage, and mixed in the research that Jon remembered and helped Melanie to rediscover in the institute’s library. </p><p>Martin wasn’t the only one frustrated with Jon, nor the only one on the receiving end of frustration. The group chat titled “Jon support group” was updated to “Jon and Melanie need babysitters” with everyone agreeing on it. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tw: Slaughter stuff, canon typical Train yard stuff, body in bag, blood, stabbing, </p><p>Glitch text: Tell me your Story.</p><p>Halfway through fear bingo now. I also tossed in some new tags I'm quite proud of. Was wondering if the summary seems to fit or if I should update it a bit since almost at 50 chapters &gt;.&gt;) which that alone feels mind blowing. tomorrow is chapter 50 +w+)))) This it the longest story I've ever written so far.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0050"><h2>50. Statement of Sasha James</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW in end notes</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sasha sat across from Martin in the kitchen of his and Jon’s place, and she stared at the tea in front of her. </p><p>Martin placed the tape recorder on the table next to him. It was already on. “Whenever you're ready.”</p><p>“Right. <em>Statement of Sasha James, regarding my death and subsequent becoming. Given directly from subject August 8th, 2016.</em></p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>“It all started in June. Jon warned us all about the Stranger sealed in the table, and when it arrived in June, along with the lighter, just on schedule, we all knew it needed to be gone. Nikki was happy to take it off our hands and that was supposed to be the end of it. It was her friend, or maybe companion? Well. It was like her, so Jon didn’t seem to have a problem with Nikki taking it off our hands. He hung onto the lighter saying he’d been waiting for it. Something about it being a gift from the web? Personally, after seeing how he used it, I think he rather enjoyed it as something to fidget with but doesn’t want to admit to that. It might have something to do with you not letting him pick up smoking again. Either way, that's not important with the events that followed. </p>
  <p>Things had been calm at work considering it’s a house of power for the Eye and all. Tim and I would occasionally try to figure out if anything came from our contracts, but nothing other than Illusions didn’t work on Tim. Like at all. Was how we would know when the occasional avatars would stop by to talk with Jon or you, though wasn’t all that often since you both took to having meetings at your house rather than the Archives. Tim would be able to see their true forms, no human disguise could hold up next to him. I can’t help but wonder if you took to having meetings outside for his sake. Though I’m pretty sure it’s not limited to just in the Archives either. But that’s his statement to tell. Not mine. </p>
  <p>So back to the point, when he told me there was something wrong with the statement giver that was waiting for Jon and you to return, I knew we needed to interact nicely with them. Nikki had told me how dreadful those of the Slaughter were, but actually meeting one, they were incredibly unsettling. </p>
  <p>You took their statement and the rest of the day went rather uneventfully. They made their statement and went on their way. For the next few days, I felt off. Like even the smallest things would set off this rage that normally wasn’t there. I’m not a very angry person, so it was a little unsettling since I didn’t know where it was coming from.</p>
  <p>That weekend it cleared up a bit. I’d had plans with Nikki that I almost canceled but saw no real point in canceling cause I was in a bad mood. And Nikki wouldn’t really care. She likes observing human emotions. So we hung out, I ended up falling asleep on her halfway through the movie. Don’t you smirk Mr.Blackwood. It's not like that.”</p>
</blockquote><p>“I didn’t say anything.” Martin did have a pretty content smile on his face.</p><p>“I know what you are hoping for. And no. We are not a couple. Just close. Neither of us do romance.” </p><p>“I know. I’m not hoping for you two to change what you got going. Just happy you are able to be close like that. Nikki is very fond of you.”</p><p>“Mmhmm...Well anyway. Back to what I was saying.”</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>"After I woke up, the random bursts of rage vanished entirely. As if it was just a dream, and things went on like normal. Until Michael showed up. </p>
  <p>I barely interacted with him, but he looked at me and laughed, saying something along the lines of “good luck keeping the Eye on me” I had no idea what he’d meant. Not until Daisy found me a few days later. You remember the mess that was. </p>
</blockquote><p>“Yupp, Jon was not happy with Michael. We’d thought he did something to you that caused the Spiral to mess with you. And that spending some time in her forest had helped you shake whatever it was.”</p><p>“I mean it did help me shake the Spiral, but-”</p><p>“But not in the way we thought. Not like Michael was any help. He just laughed and avoided us so Jon couldn’t be mad at him.”</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>“That was how I got the first inkling of what was happening. Because after that, I started to notice I felt lighter. Like not particularly grounded? And it didn’t stop till I spent time with Nikki a few days later. I brought it up with her, and that's when we started realizing it was probably because of the crap Elias pulled. </p>
  <p>Nikki made the point that if being with her felt like a reset, it was probably because she was a Stranger. Her entire thing was mimicking humans, so if I was mimicking other Avatars, then it would make sense I would feel mostly human around an Avatar whose whole thing was mimicking humans. </p>
  <p>It scared me. I mean, that is the whole point of Becoming. Never not scary to lose humanity, especially considering how I felt most human when dealing with the Stranger. Not entirely comforting considering what was supposed to kill me.</p>
  <p>So I talked to Jon about it, and we both agreed that sounds like whatever Ambassador meant, being able to blend in with the ‘locals’ would probably be an extension of it. Didn’t seem like I had any luck pulling aspects from Jon after we did some testing. Like there wasn’t a default state to what was happening.</p>
  <p>Things started to make more sense and I was able to better control what was affecting me. Like since I knew about it, I was able to Know what aspects I was borrowing, and what was under my own influence? I got used to it, much as I hated it. That and couldn’t spend more than a week being influenced by one in particular. </p>
  <p>And well, things went back to normal? As normal as things ever were. </p>
  <p>Then, well, you were there. So you know how Jon was getting antsy as July was coming to an end. He was keeping and Eye on Prentiss since she was still alive in the Lonely, but appeared to get weaker as the time went on, and he was constantly checking in with Nikki about the table. Making sure Nikki didn’t have it in on of the apartments I visited. Which it wasn’t.</p>
  <p>I gotta admit. It was a little sweet how much Jon hovered when the 29th finally rolled around. He was so worried about how everything little thing would find a way to deliver me to the End. Won't lie, his talk about choices really unsettled me, since if I died or not, he confirmed that I was on the fast track to being less than human. And how it was happening faster than both you and Tim. Maybe it was out of necessity, or maybe just cause I was hanging out with Nikki on a weekly basis and working here. If my becoming was based around not interacting with humans, Georgie, Melanie, and Basira are just about my only full human contacts at the moment. </p>
  <p>I’m glad that I’m able to do this in statement form. I- I don’t think I would be able to say this next part easily without the Compulsion’s push...It’s silly. It was just a single misstep, a fall, and then just dreams. Dreams of a Stranger taking my place. Fear that no one noticed no matter how much I screamed, no matter how much I tried to tell you all it wasn’t me. </p>
  <p>Then Jon showed up. No, I don’t think I could call that Jon. The Archive showed up in my dream. And he Saw me. I could feel him pulling me to a path away from the nightmare, and suddenly what Jon had been telling me about choices made sense. There isn’t words for what I saw, but I sat down, watched, and thought about it. The Archive sat with me. Answered questions when I had them. Otherwise there was silence. </p>
  <p>He never pushed me to make my choice.</p>
  <p>When I asked him if it hurt. He told me: Yes, and that the pain never stopped. No more details than that no matter what I asked. </p>
  <p>So I sat with that. God it felt like an eternity, but only moments. Turns out it was 8 days. <br/>
 <br/>
I made my choice and woke up. He was right. It does hurt. I wasn’t meant to be this. I was never meant to be prepared to steal aspects from others. But I did choose it, and I don’t regret my choice.</p>
  <p>One nice thing about all this is least we don’t have to worry about Feeding the Beholding. I Know how it works now. Whatever weird stuff that is going on with the archives and contracts, it looks like as long as Jon is taking statements, we won't have to worry about normal problems that come along with feeding on fear. I Know I’ll have access to all the statements that Jon collects, and any that I do collect will go directly to him. </p>
  <p>It feels like I have to do some learning about what I am now, but it’s far softer than I expected.</p>
  <p>Statement ends.”</p>
</blockquote><p>“Wow. it’s that last part. That will require a talk...”</p><p>“Yeah. I want to tell you and Tim about it in more detail, but it’s hard. There is this bit of me that wants to see what I can do, if this power only affects other Avatars or if it extends to humans. Like if I could, I dunno, pick up playing an instrument or something?” </p><p>“Heh, imagine being able to mimic someone's mad harmonica playing.” </p><p>“Are you implying she steal my musical skills for some dubious reason?” Jon walked into the kitchen since he Knew the statement was over. </p><p>“Never. But did summon you in. Welcome to the waking world. Sleep well?” Martin got up to give Jon a kiss on the cheek. </p><p>“Unfortunately. 8 days with constant flow to fear is quite the reset. I’m terribly sorry Sasha. Do you need some time?” Jon leaned into Martin, looking a bit groggy from oversleeping.</p><p>“Probably down the line. But right now, I think I just want to get my mind off it by trying to get back into the normal swing of things. Thanks for staying with me.” </p><p>“I wasn’t going to leave you to do it alone.” Jon’s grin remained sleepy, but sympathetic. He was alone after his coma, he wasn’t going to do that to Sasha, or anyone else if he had a say in it. “It is almost 7, so how about we stop at a cafe for breakfast. We could grab something for Tim as well on our way to work. Maybe you will have the added bonus of being able to Know the differences between statements.” </p><p>Sasha shrugs. “Can’t say I got any Knowing side effects to my condition.” </p><p>“Hmmm, shame, only time will tell I suppose.” Jon grabbed his coat. </p><p>“Can’t you just Know?”</p><p>“Can’t see the future.” Jon sighed. </p><p>“Jon, were you going to leave in your sleepwear?”</p><p>“hm...Oh, ah, I should probably...yeah. One sec.” Jon turned around and headed upstairs while Martin grinned. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>tw: Death, slight confusion, trippy dreams, coma</p><p>I love Sasha's powers I came up with and struggled with how to explain them naturally in the story, so what better way to explain than through statement! </p><p>There was a bit of a time skip involved too while she learned tiny bits about how she was changing. </p><p>Also in case it wasn't very clear, Sasha, Tim and Martin wont have to feed like Jon does on fears. they will be tempted to sure, more so if they stay away from the archives, but the way I figure it, cause as an assistent it's like how the crew would just get sick if they are away too long. The Archive feeds them all cause they are still tied through weird contracts and can't quit. As long as the Archive('Jon') isn't hungry, they wont be. (Beholding side effect of keep Jon safe?)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0051"><h2>51. The 'Plan' revised</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tw in end notes</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon was in the new archives he and Martin had been setting up on their 3rd floor. At the moment it contained a nice seating area with their ‘how to stop Jonah’ board as a focal point to that side of the room. The walls were still bare otherwise since they never got around to painting it after installing the soundproofing materials. Jon and Martin figured the decor could wait since the Jonah board wasn’t going to be a permanent thing. The soundproofing was a must since they shared a wall with what turned out to be their neighbors youngest. Nothing like hearing Jon readout horrors for a bedtime story. </p><p>So basically, it was a mess still. The filing system was perfect and right, but otherwise, it wasn’t the most comfortable place to be in for literally anyone but Jon. To anyone but him, they would just see a single shelf with files, a few boxes, and about five or six abandoned DIY builds. They were semi-abandoned in that the walls needed finished before they could, and Jon had other things on his mind as he sat at his desk.</p><p>He’d spent this time with Sasha for the week thinking, and thinking and planning. He normally tried to avoid planning while in Archive mode since he tended to be a little more detached from his human concerns, but this plan actually was pretty good on that front. Maybe because he was more actively trying to take into consideration of what he wanted when he was awake? Jon made a mental note to rethink how he managed himself in dreams. Maybe he just wasn’t trying hard enough.</p><p>Jon took a deep breath to try to refocus. The plan. The <em>Plan</em>. Jon was obviously not able to avoid people’s deaths, nor being marked one way or another. Even if the marks weren’t happening in the same order, it seemed inevitable, and while planning, he couldn’t figure out a good reason to justify not getting all the entities to mark him for the ritual. He knew Jonah’s tricks, so could avoid ending the world unless it was something he wanted. The bet didn’t include triggering the ritual once each entirety marked him after all. How had Jonah worded it? “<em>While you do that, I’ll work on our ritual again.</em>”  Yeah. Jonah would have to figure out a way to get Jon to complete the ritual and he had no intention of that anytime soon. </p><p>So, the Plan now was to not bother avoiding other entities since Jon was terrible at it anyway. Though avoiding scars would be nice since, so far the only thing that had scared was the cut on his neck from the Slaughter back in April. </p><p>One less thing to focus on helped solidify the ideas Jon came up with over the week. Main goals being: remove Jonah from being head of the institute, end Jonah, free his assistants -though if they all Became beforehand, there wouldn’t be much point from disconnecting them from himself, since he was basically feeding them? </p><p>Jon started to scribble out his ideas on paper cause they were getting messy. How had he thought about it before while dreaming? They were all connected to him, and he was connected to the institute by domain at this point, and not Jonah. </p><p>Did he even need to be bothered with Jonah?</p><p>Jonah couldn’t make another to perform the ritual, so if Jon could successfully move the archives, change his location to his home, would that be considering removing Jonah from power? </p><p>On that thought, Jon also wondered if killing Jonah would be something he could do, Eye interfering immortality or not. If being unable to stop someone's end from coming, would sending them there early be off limits? Did that mean he needed to be worried about everyone else more?</p><p>He let out a groan into his desk as Martin placed down a cup of tea. </p><p>“Having a rough time?”</p><p>“What makes you say that?” Jon lifted his face from his desk. A post-it note stuck to his forehead. </p><p>“Probably the post-it note.” Martin reached out to pull it off. “Also the fact your desk is covered in notes, most of which don’t appear to even be in English.”</p><p>“Oh.” Jon looked down. “Oh. That's a mess.” His scribbled notes, barely legible, some looked to be just scribbles and words with no context. “They <em>are</em> English even if you can’t read them.”</p><p>Martin raised an eyebrow. “I’ll have to take your word for it. Don’t envy whoever has to decipher them. Wanna talk about what is going on?” </p><p>“Partly. Still trying to figure out some things. Thinking we might be approaching some things wrongly.” </p><p>“Like...?” Martin grabbed a bean bag from the conspiracy corner that Tim donated. </p><p>“First, we don’t have to worry about being marked I think. Not that I’ll actively try.” Jon quickly added seeing the look Martin gave him. “Just that it doesn’t need to be part of the plan so long as I don’t activate the ritual, it doesn’t matter if I can or can’t.”</p><p>“Mmhmm” </p><p>“That's not what I’m stuck on, just wanted you to be the first to know.” Jon took the tea and took a sip. Was just the perfect temperature for drinking. “I’m- I don’t think we- I don’t know if we will be able to kill Jonah. Not with how I understand the rules we are playing under.”</p><p>“We still have the option of tossing him into the coffin.” </p><p>“Yeah, that doesn’t mean it will break his connection to the institute, which remind me later to tell you my thoughts on that. No, it's more I’m not sure if the deaths we know of are set in stone, or if it’s just like last possible timing sort of thing. Mostly just I don’t Know if Jonah could die before it's his time, or if he could die before if by some weird circumstance.” </p><p>“I’m thinking this had less to do with Jonah and more to do with someone else from the concern on your face.”</p><p>“I- yes. It's Tim. We couldn’t avoid Sasha’s death, and Prentiss died at the exact time she should’ve. But I don’t know if that could lead to Tim being reckless and things happening before? You’ve noticed it right?”</p><p>“Not really. Tim is pretty much the same levels of jumping into danger. You are just looking for it.” </p><p>“Maybe. But I’m worried.”</p><p>Martin reached for Jon's hand and rubbed it. “I know.”</p><p>“There’s more…I- While I was considering the details of that. Well, maybe.” Jon looked away from Martin while he made some mumbling noises mixed with hmm and ums. </p><p>“Take your time. I’m not in a hurry.”</p><p>“...Yes well, It’s hard cause I still hate the man. But also didn’t remember he was alive again until just a few days ago…”</p><p>“Jon...You don’t mean Leitner?”</p><p>“We ah, we know when he is supposed to die, and if it happens before then, we would know the End isn’t like set in stone at least in one direction...it’s not like he is spending his time actually living right now either…” Jon couldn’t meet Martin’s eyes and his voice had gotten smaller as he spoke. He knew what he was saying was bad, but Leitner wasn’t quite the most pleasant of fellows.</p><p>“That might not be a bad idea.”</p><p>“What?” Jon meet Martin’s eyes this time, with all the extras opened to join in. </p><p>“It's not a bad idea. No, I’m not saying we outright murder him. But he could be sort of a... control in a test? Like we know he is lingering in the tunnels this whole time, so if anything changes, it’d be easiest to see with him. The first time he interacted with you, was when he died, so maybe we could have you interact and see if circumstances matter. Sasha died in the institute because of an accident like last time, and Prentiss died in a fog of sorts -just h2o and not co2- so maybe that plays a part. We could use him to test that. If he survives his first encounter with you, then we could cross off at least similar interactions that don’t trigger the End’s effects. And figure it out from there?” </p><p>“That's an interesting point. So guess to test it, we track down Leitner?”</p><p>“We could do it Thursday so the day of the week matches up.”</p><p>“How do you, I mean I remember it was a Thursday, but how do you remember? Did you Know?”</p><p> “Martin got up and gave Jon a kiss on the forehead. “Nope. Didn’t need to Know it. You have no idea how stressed I was when you were wanted to murder. Plus that was when Tim and I explored Michaels halls. I could only cling to the day. Now, I’ll leave you to your plotting while I start on dinner. Any preferences?”</p><p>“I’m not plotting, well maybe that is a word for it. But I’m good with whatever.” </p><p>“Okay, I’ll make sure to cook it with horrors or nightmares.”</p><p>“Cooking it with love is just as good.” Jon laughed. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>tw: slight archive vs Jon identiy junk, plotting murder</p><p>nothing like plotting some low key murder with the bf. also Jon is basically me projecting orginizing my notes and outlines for the next part of the story. (it's the least outlined portion of my plans xDD) </p><p>So to explain the new update schedule, gunna be trying to do the nanowrimo thing this year with an original story i've been meaning to write for ages (might post it here if anyone is interested in more comidic/fluffy horror but in space) since I’ve gotten into the swing of writing pretty consistently through the fic (holy heck 51 chapters and 78k words in two months, I’m still shocked it’s me doing the writing tbh) so I’ll be alternating between stories. So on even days I’ll be posting chapters for the month of Nov. Chapters will probably be slightly longer, but not sure about that. <b>Next chapter will be on the 2nd of November. </b></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0052"><h2>52. Mother fucking Leitner</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>cw in end notes</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The tunnels sucked. Jon had disliked them before, but now the disconnection they provided from the Beholding just added to the frustration. It wasn’t a fun blind spot.</p><p>“Maybe it’s not worth it Martin…” Jon’s tired voice carried through the darkness. </p><p>Martin took hold of Jon's shoulder and nudged him forward. “We are already here and about 3 hours in. Might as well keep at it.”</p><p>Jon grumped as he was pushed along. “I swear if Leitner doesn’t show his stupid face in the next hour I will murder him myself…”</p><p>“Stop being so dramatic.”</p><p>“I am not being dramatic. It is mentally painful for me to be down here. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to have nothing new going on? He’s not even being polite enough to change the paths.”</p><p>“Hm, you think maybe he is out?”</p><p>“I wouldn’t Know.” </p><p>“You can still guess?” Martin took his hand off Jon’s shoulder and poked his face. </p><p>“Yes. I suppose. Unfortunately, he is hidden from the Eye even if he leaves the tunnels so it's about the only thing I can do.”</p><p>“Think if we left him notes he would respond to them?”</p><p>“Probably not? He is annoying at best so can’t see him being too keen to come out of hiding. Though he was nice enough to help me out with the Not!them.”</p><p>“Mmh yeah. Say, can you feel the panopticon?” </p><p>“Yeah. I could lead us there with no problems, but there would be a wall in the way. Jonah’s got it all sealed off right now.”</p><p>“Shame.”</p><p>“Why? What would you want to do there?”</p><p>“I don’t know. Kick Jonah?”</p><p>Jon let out a laugh. That wasn’t what he was expecting at all. </p><p>“What? I feel like I owe him. See if he can feel it top side.” </p><p>“Well, if we find Leitner, we can ask him to unseal it so you can give Jonah a kick. I’ll admit, I’m quite curious myself now that you’ve given me the idea.” Jon aimed the light before turning into a tunnel they had marked earlier. </p><p>Martin paused as he looked at the last timestamp they’d marked off. “Come to think about it, the tunnels aren’t shifting are they?”</p><p>“No. Nothing has changed since we got here. Maybe he is hiding, or out?”</p><p>“That's not ideal.” Martin leaned on one of the walls. </p><p>“We could try again another day? Not like we don’t have ample time to investigate.”</p><p>“Hmm I supposed. I really wanted to just have this taken care of you know?”</p><p>“I do <em>Know</em>.”</p><p>“No. That was an illegal foul, I’m going to have to call a penalty on you for that one. Do you dispute my call?“</p><p>Jon’s laugh echoed through the tunnel, not traveling far. “I couldn’t resist. Penalty accepted.”</p><p>“You’re in time out then.” Martin opened his arms while he still leaned on the wall. Jon sunk into him on queue. </p><p>They stayed like that in a comfortable silence for a few minutes while Martin got a moment break. </p><p>Martin broke the silence with a nuzzle into Jon’s shoulder. “Guess we should head out for now. <br/>Maybe swing by the store and get the Marshal some new toys? Think she is about to destroy the scratching post.” </p><p>“Mmhmm. Sounds like a plan. We should get out before the store closes.”</p><p>Jon offered his hand to Martin as he pulled away from the cuddle. This wasn’t Jon’s ideal location for cuddling, it reminded him too much of everything they were trying to prevent.</p><p>--</p><p>“Welcome, Jon. I take it you had an eventful trip in the tunnels.”</p><p>Jon sat in Elias’s chair and stared at him. “What the heck Jonah? <em>Why just kill Leitner and leave him in the tunnels?</em>”</p><p>“I was curious. And Leitner wasn’t someone that would be missed. So I tested out how easy it was to change a timeline. It was quite easy. After that, I went for Prentiss.” Elias had a rather smug look on his face Knowing Jon had been struggling with how to easy it was to change things but was stumbling around trying to learn how to change things by preventing them, rather than just making things happen. </p><p>The Eye was please by both of their attempts at watching this timeline, and they both felt it in the air. </p><p>“I really can’t stand you.” </p><p>“I’m aware. I’m quite surprised that you’ve actually went to look for Leitner after all this time. Were you by chance, attempting to use him like I did?” </p><p>Jon leaned back to look at the sealing with a sign. <em>God, did Elias actually have eye patterns etched into the ceiling of his offic</em>e? Jon groaned at the tacky display above him he’d never noticed. </p><p>“Yes, but you beat me to it. Hell, the End or the Eye probably have been eating up my indecision this whole time.” That last part was more for Jon’s own lament rather than for Elias. “Thinking things were set in stone.”</p><p>“Lending you to self-fulfilled prophecies I’d say.” Elias looked to his clock. “I have a meeting soon. Talking to is always a delight, but you can’t have been here to just talk to me about Leitner. Considering the Lack of Martin in this intrusion, I’m assuming it’s something you don’t want him to know about it?”</p><p>“No, we discussed it in the tunnels. He just didn’t want to end up punching you yet. Said he would be too tempted to. I agree as well, but I’m actually coming to you to ask a favor.”</p><p>“Oh? That is surprising.”</p><p>“Oh shut up. I’m not really in the mood. I hate to even ask, but could you let me know when Peter is in port. I don’t want to have to keep an eye out on the port. Less worth the time for me than it would be for you.”</p><p>“Depends, what's in it for me?”</p><p>Jon let out a suffering <em>ugh</em> in response. “You already Know…”</p><p>“I’m quite sure I do not.  I can guess, but you know you are as blocked to me as I am to you.” </p><p>“Fine. I want him to toss me in the Lonely to mark me with it so there will be no reason for the Lonely to come prancing around near my Archives or friends.”</p><p>“Lovely. I’ll make sure to set up an appointment with him as soon as he is in.” Elias sounded way too excited for an ancient pair of eyeballs. </p><p>“Good. I’m done then.” Jon got up and headed for the door. </p><p>“I’m happy to assist you with the rest, how many are there?”</p><p>“I don’t need it.“</p><p>“I suppose you don’t. You’ve been doing a grand job so far.” </p><p>Jon shut the door with a bit of a force. </p><p>---</p><p>“How’d it go?” Martin walked up to Jon after waving goodbye to Rosie. </p><p>“He was a gloating prick. Thinking I should sign his email up for some spam sites, or maybe sign into his accounts and unsubscribe him from things he has on recurring orders so he’ll have to go to a store and shop on his own to buy his things.”</p><p>Martin took Jon’s hand with a smile. “I like that last one. I’m sure he obsessively got it scheduled to replace things within the day of it running out.”</p><p>Jon nodded and tightened his grip on Martin’s. “He does.”</p><p>“That’s- wow kinda impressive actually. To be that together even if it took him 200 some years. I don’t feel as bad about myself and my last-minute shopping trips in comparison. I’ve only gotten some 20 years of practicing.”</p><p>Jon laughed, his mood lightened a bit. “The true benefit of the 1800’s Watcher’s Crown. Making sure there is deodorant in your mailbox the <em>Day</em> it runs out.”</p><p>“Then after 200 years of planning and spreadsheets, Foiled by one canceled order.”</p><p>Jon buried himself in Martin’s shoulder to keep from laughing too loudly. “The true rebellion of the Archive.”</p><p>Martin ran his hand through Jon’s hair as Jon tried to not disturb everyone around trying to work. He loved Jon so much. </p><p>Martin also thought Jon’s idea was dangerous. The others weren’t going to enjoy it much either.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>cw: Elias murdering Leitner again(not decriptive)</p><p>I'm back! Took some time over the week to unstress (things have been tense in the usa so basically spent days offline trying to keep sane) Listened to some eariler episodes for the fun of it. </p><p>I jumped to just Elias took care of Leitner cause after listening to him, I kinda realized I didn't want to write Leitner actually talking &gt;.&gt;;;; Elias is a jerk, but at least he's got some flair to his villany. (sadly for Leitner, it also didn't end up changing my outline at all by having him just gone. maybe like cut out a chapter most.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0053"><h2>53. Talk that was a long time coming</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>
The weekend Jon gathered only the group of his friends that knew the ritual details, they were tense through the whole ordeal. </p><p>Jon nervously shared that he planned to get all the marks on his terms, then just not perform the ritual. He’d explained that it made the most sense in that it would keep Elias in check from hurting any of them in the crossfire, along with once he was ready, there were ways to prevent him from opening the door. He didn’t know what tricks Elias would use, but it would be easier to keep an eye out for them, along with keeping other entities from learning why the rituals keep failing. </p><p>Jon did leave out one part that only he and Martin had talked about, where the final benefit was if another ritual seemed to figure out the key. Jon could at least negate a worst entity from holding the world in it’s hand. That was a side effect and not part of the plan. Just an option.</p><p>Dangerous as Jon’s plan was, after he explained the details to everyone who knew about the ritual details, they reluctantly came to an agreement about it. Tim and Basira were the most against it, but Basira figured she would rather be involved with the mess than having Jon do it behind her back. Tim wasn’t as willing to back down. Tim wasn’t as willing to put his trust in Jon’s ‘self-control’ seeing as there were far fewer examples of it in action than not. </p><p>Tim only ended up agreeing after Martin pointed out that they could discuss details later. Not like Jon could get them all in one month or anything. While the Entries were annoyingly common in their life, it’s not like they are waiting in line to take a bite into Jon. Most don’t even know that is a thing, and they have got to do it naturally otherwise someone is bound to catch on. </p><p>Daisy and Sasha didn’t seem all that concerned. Sasha figured it made perfect sense, and she was quite curious about it, while Daisy just laughed and told Jon he could take a nap in the coffin without her this time, but she would be happy to help with whatever else.</p><p>Georgie was the only one who agreed silently without any sort of comment. Just a nod while petting, the no longer kitten but now cat, Marshal. It wasn’t till everyone left for the kitchen that she finally pulled Jon into a conversation. </p><p>“Jon, I’m sorry, but I’m not coming to another one of these meetings. You are getting involved in things I can’t follow you in. I won't stop you, but I can’t be a part of you planning to get yourself hurt.”</p><p>Jon’s heart fell into his stomach. </p><p>“Hey now. Don’t make that face. I’m not cutting you out of my life or anything. But I can’t help you hurt yourself. It’s not healthy. We agreed on that when you came to me crying last year. I’ve been game for trying to help you prevent it, but this shift isn’t healthy, and you know that.”</p><p>“I don’t have…” Jon’s voice shook.</p><p>“I know, your options are limited.” Georgie went in for a hug which Jon returned without fuss. “I just, I hate seeing you hurt, and while you do this, you are going to just keep going in deeper, and don’t say you’ve already been in deep. You’ve been out. And you know that.”</p><p>Jon remained silent. </p><p>“I’m still happy to help you with the petty stuff, and there is always ice cream in my freezer with your name on it.” She pulled back and looked into his eyes. “Not like we are going to stop hanging out, I still like you as a person. That’s not going away cause I’m taking a step back.”</p><p>Jon nodded reluctantly. </p><p>“Besides you got yourself a right batch of buttkicking friends supporting you in your bad directions. I’ll just be here for the less world-ending ones like spooky shadows or whatever Melanie’s latest thing is. You are both garbage at editing anything you touch.”</p><p>That got a laugh from Jon. “I can’t help she is determined to have me corrupt all her footage.”</p><p>“You are both reckless fools. Babysitting you two with the tiny spookies is enough for me I think.” </p><p>“Thank you, Georgie. For everything.”</p><p>“Mmhmm. You know it. Now for some other important business. You ever gunna ask Martin to marry you?”</p><p>Jon choked on air before trying to recover. “I- I’m not- ahem. Depends. You ever going to ask Melanie out?”</p><p>“Jonathan Sims. Are you meddling with my romantic endeavors? Who are you and what have you done with my friend?” She was overdramatic as she made her way to the stairs. </p><p>“You’ve caught me. I’m actually a being made of stardust here to fill in for cupid cause they got their hands full with a time-consuming hobby.”</p><p>“Ah, that makes perfect sense.” She laughed as they both joined up with the rest of the crew. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>tad on the short side but the next part didn't seem to fit well with this chapter, while it fits waaay better with the next.</p><p>Georgie was the hardest person to write for Jon's "plan" with how not okay she was in canon, so figured at this point she would tap out and wanted to have it be a convo, and not just a passing side note. </p><p>Thanks for reading and for the comments! them power me up like boost items in a video game &gt;w&lt;))</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0054"><h2>54. All alone in the lonely</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>cw in end notes.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Convo between Elias and Jonathan</strong>
</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Elias</strong> Today at 3:56 AM<br/>
Lukas docked exactly 2 minutes ago. I will be contacting him about our agreement the other day. </p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 3:58 AM<br/>
Why are you texting me at almost 4am</p>
  <p><strong>Elias</strong> Today at 3:58 AM<br/>
It’s not like you were asleep. I’m setting up for you to meet at lunch today in my office before he has a chance to run away again.</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 4:00 AM<br/>
Fine.</p>
</blockquote><p>Martin sturred a little after hearing Jon aggressive texting.</p><p>“What time is it? You have trouble sleeping?”</p><p>“No, sorry for waking you up. Elias was being obnoxious about the whole marking thing. If I’d known he would act like a kid eager for their presents, I would’ve waited for Peter till last... I just, Peter is sinister and last time...I just want it over.” Jon sighed in a way that basically summed up the frustrations he faced when he was powerlessly Becoming and all those that were closed were basically a step away from fog at all times.</p><p>“That prick.” Martin pulled Jon into him.</p><p>“Elias or Peter?”</p><p>“Yes.” </p><p>Jon chuckled into Martin’s shoulder as Martin drifted back to sleep. Jon stayed like that for the rest of the morning.</p><p>--</p><p>Jon didn’t know what he was expecting lunch with Peter to be like, but it wasn’t this. </p><p>Elias had arranged a private room in a high-class restaurant for just Jon and Peter. Jon hadn’t dressed for the place, just in his normal clothing, so he had to wait alone in the lobby as none of the waiters believed he was the one there for the booked private room.</p><p>Peter walked in with that smile of 'he doesn’t want to be here but I'm being polite' and Jon returned it. “Hope the lobby experience wasn’t too lonely for you Jonathan.” The host didn’t even say a word as they lead Peter and Jon to the room. Peter was a regular it seemed. They knew he wasn’t one for small talk.</p><p>“Just Jon.”</p><p>“Right.” </p><p>The doors to the room closed behind them as Peter took his seat like it was all normal for him.</p><p>“Elias has told me you had business with me, but I’ll be frank about this. I’ve no interest in this interaction. Your type are always so curious and it just doesn’t align with my interests.”</p><p>Peter seemed at home in the room that was tucked away in the back where none of the lunch rush could touch them, but Jon didn’t quite enjoy the chill in the air that came with Peter’s joy as a waitress came in, and silently dropped off an expensive looking bottle. It looked to be Wine at a first glance, but Jon Knew before looking at the label that it was a sparkling cider of sorts with no alcohol at all. </p><p>“No. I figure it wouldn’t. I’m honestly not a fan of your lot much either.”</p><p>“Yet you seem so close to ours. Seems odd but I won't complain.” </p><p>“Right...Well. Elias tells me you enjoy bets and deals. I’m not comfortable enough to make a bet with you, but I would like to make a deal. Information for information.”</p><p>“What makes you think you have information I would like.”</p><p>“I- I got a similar skillset to Elias, and you deal with him. I’m probably a little more pleasant at least? Or so I’m told lately. I’m sure I could tell you at least something? I’m...” Jon was doing everything he could to get right to the point, but seeing the Lonely. He hated it, but also cause he’d seen it and wasn’t actually curious. He still needed to try to seem curious so Jon hoped Peter wasn’t able to read people well. “I need to see the Lonely. I’ve read statements, and it’s not enough.”</p><p>Not a lie. Jon was impressed with himself for that wording. He needed the mark, not to see it, but was able to keep that fact hidden. There was a slight nervousness that maybe he had help, but he didn’t See any webs.</p><p>“So you want me to, what? Let you watch me throw someone in cause your Eye isn’t satisfied with the ones that make it out?”</p><p>The hairs on the back of Jon’s neck bristled. The Beholding whispered from within that offer sounded nice, urged him to say <em>yes</em>.</p><p>“A- ahh.” Jon's nerves at almost saying yes shook him. “N-no. I need to feel it first hand.”</p><p>Peter raised a brow. “Now I’m curious. I would’ve told you to leave had you said yes. But wanting to feel it? Not even Elias has ever asked that of me.”</p><p>“He is a coward, content to watch from afar.”</p><p>“Aye, that he is. Sure. I can throw you in for some alone time. Once I pull you out, for the next year I want information on anything I ask.” </p><p>“Fine. I’ll be happy to share anything I can within reason. Communication through email alright with you?”</p><p>“Perfect. Less contact the better. I’ll grab you once I’m finished with lunch.”</p><p>The room was gone. Just Jon on the beach he remembered killing Peter on.</p><p>It was wrong. The Fog was thin. Thin enough even that Jon could see all the people Peter had sent in the last week or so ago. The air wasn’t cold. Jon was untouched, just an observer. One that could walk safely and untouched. </p><p>Jon sunk into a crouch so he could hide in his hands to keep from swearing. This wasn’t going to affect him. How could it? He wasn’t scared of the Lonely. What was he even scared of any more? </p><p>Jon couldn’t tell. His mind ran through thousands of statements in a second, searching for a way for the Lonely to physically mark him like it had before. Mentally was still intact. But being here, that wasn’t bad. If anything it reminded him of Martin in the mornings.</p><p>Shit. </p><p>Thinking to the past interactions, the other Entities, his fear of them were tied to others around him weren’t they. Then he Knew. </p><p>All the fresh fears were from feeling powerless to protect people he cared for. Slaughter and Dark, he was worried for Melanie. Hunt and Vast, were connected to keeping Daisy from becoming a victim of the end from remembering what it was like to die in the future. The End, well that one was his own fear in a way, but he only got there by sending someone else before him. </p><p>This wasn’t good. Jon’s plan sucked. There were too many things assumed and he every step of it was misplaced by making the wrong connections, the Knowledge and experience not lining up. Jon’s fear wasn’t tied to himself anymore. He wasn’t even sure if the physical marks needed for the ritual were even on him, or if they were on the people he cared about. No, the Beholding buzzed, the marks were on him, just inflicted by the others.</p><p>Elias couldn’t know. Could Jon pretend that this worked? No. Jon was shit at lying. And Elias could Know. </p><p>What was he going to- how could he protect them all. Could he even or was it just that they all had terrible luck. It’d only been a week since he shared his terrible idea. Maybe he should stop planning? </p><p>How could he even explain to them that he had gotten so used to being frightened that it was boring to be tossed into Peter’s version of the Lonely? They would probably end up worrying about him, again. He should be upset because the Lonely, not because he was literally not that in any way and only upset cause so many cared. </p><p>He exhaled a breath he didn’t remember inhaling. </p><p>Jon was tired. And angry. Tired of being angry. All because Elias picked him. All because Elias’s form of immortality wasn’t good enough for him. All cause Elias wanted to be king of a ruined world again. </p><p>Jon didn’t want that. Something clicked in Jon’s brain. He didn’t want that. Not even as the Archive. The ‘him’ that was in his dreams, unbound and surrounded by fear. He wanted his domain yes, that was a fact. It was nice and organized his way, unbound by the rules of reality. But it didn’t need to be in the world Elias wanted to make. It wouldn’t be any good there. It would be boring to do that again. Just like how the Lonely was boring. </p><p>Jon could almost laugh at how stupid it was. He had all the knowledge he could want, but gosh he was dumb. Georgie was right to stop wanting to be involved. </p><p>He didn’t laugh though. It almost felt like it would be rude to Peter by ruining the atmosphere of his foggy beach.</p><p>Jon stood up and took a step. He was home. He’d walked right out of the Lonely and back home, to see a startled Martin.</p><p>“Christ Jon. Couldn’t’ve used the front door?” Martin looked like he would’ve dropped the mug he was holding if he hadn’t just set it down. They both liked that mug so it was a good thing it was on the counter. </p><p>“Sorry, I- I meant to return to the restaurant. I think?” Jon paused. He hadn’t bothered to order anything, so there wasn’t a reason to return there. “Hm, no. I probably didn’t, now that I think about it, either way. Sorry. I’ll not make a habit of it.”</p><p>“Hope not. How’d it go with…?”</p><p>“It didn’t. I mean it went fine, but I’m an idiot so it didn’t work.” Jon pulled out his phone and started to send a message. “My plan was junk so after I send this message I’m clearing out the space upstairs to make it something useful. Think everyone would enjoy doing a movie night up there? Maybe get a projector for the whole movie experience?”</p><p>“Jon, slow down, What?” Martin finished making another cup of tea for Jon since there was enough water for it. </p><p>“My plan. All the plans. All useless.” Jon was focused on his phone typing an email to Peter since Jon Knew the best email to reach him at that read:</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Hello. This is Jon Sims. Thank you for letting me see your domain. I saw what I needed to so I left early as I’m sure me looking around must have been uncomfortable. This is the best email to reach me at, so feel free to send any questions there and I’ll respond within a few days unless you mention they are time-sensitive. </p>
</blockquote><p>Jon took the tea after hitting send. He probably won't hear back from Peter till the first question comes up. </p><p>“Thanks.” Jon smiled at Martin. </p><p>“So, do I get an explanation for why we are putting in a movie theater into the new Archives?”</p><p>“Well. The short of it is, I’m not capable of performing the ritual anymore. What I thought was happening wasn’t preparing me for it in a way that would be sustainable. So no more planning from me. I’m not good at it and it just makes things worse. Thinking the space up there could be made for something better since we put the effort into soundproofing it for my part of the floor.”</p><p>“Oh. Want help with that then?” Martin had a hard time following without knowing what had happened that Jon jumped to the conclusion, though he was sure Jon would clarify in time.  Martin was going to owe Daisy some cash now, the whole crew all would. They had placed bets on how long it would take for Jon to realize his plan was bad while Jon and Georgie had their heart to heart. Daisy was the only one who said less than 2 weeks.  </p><p>--</p><p>
  <strong>Convo “disaster control” group</strong>
</p><p>[[attached is a picture of the “<em>plan</em>” boards cleared and no longer on the wall. Jon is painting the wall white with some of the left ever paint. there is a trail of paw prints leading away from the paint tray]]</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Martin</strong>: Remodeling in progress. Also we all owe Daisy money.</p>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong>: hell yeah! Called it.</p>
  <p><strong>Georgie</strong>: Do I want to know?</p>
  <p><strong>Sasha</strong>: up to you, but you don’t owe Daisy money. </p>
  <p><strong>Georgie</strong>: I figured. Maybe I don’t </p>
  <p><strong>Georgie</strong>: least he looks happy about it?</p>
  <p><strong>Tim</strong>: damnit I was hoping to win this one cause he was stubborn. </p>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong>: lol</p>
  <p><strong>Basira</strong>: he explain or just wake up that way?</p>
  <p><strong>Martin</strong>: oh um he had lunch with Lukas then came back and was in full ‘ready to go’ mode, so I havent interrupted to find out what happened. Sure he will tell us? Or the eye will tell me? Either or?<br/>
<strong>Martin</strong>: @sasha you got any suggestions for a good movie projector? Jon was thinking movie nights up here since got the space.</p>
  <p><strong>Sasha</strong>: consider it on it’s way. Using the ‘card’</p>
  <p><strong>Daisy</strong>: I pick first movie we watch<br/>
//5 thumbs up reactions to message//</p>
</blockquote>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Cw: break down(?) in the Lonely. </p><p>Heh, this got long. Jon is in his own head for most of it and dude's got so many thoughts. Also kinda projecting a little bit how I get once I realize I did a dumb. </p><p>This chapter felt so good to write. it's been on my outline for months. there was going to be a little more build up for it, but after last chapter, the bits between didn't seem to fit as well so I just kinda "jon immediately realized this is dumb plan" </p><p>Thanks again for all the comments and 600+ kudos. TTwTT)))) They are serotonin sent directly to my brain.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0055"><h2>55. in which jon is keeping out of trouble</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>trying out a weird format here &gt;w&gt;)) Let me know if the jumps are confusing</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A youtube video played on a laptop at the kitchen table. Daisy was at the stove grinning like crazy while Basira’s eyes were glued to the screen. </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>“Now, for this next ghost, the facts lead to an underground tunnel. It’s normally cut off from the public, but for once we wont have to break in because of a special guest!” </p>
  <p>Melanie’s voice rang cheerfully followed by a small bit of static that mumbled ‘we could break into less places if-’ before getting cut off. </p>
  <p>“This is [----]. We are going to have to censor out her name so her job isn’t at risk, but would be rude to not introduce her.” Melanie gestured to Daisy, whose face was glitched out using Jon’s, and now almost Ghost Hunt UK’s, signature green eye glitching pattern. Jon got used to filming enough that it’s almost like a mask that follows who ever couldn’t be on camera. And since it was controlled at filming, they never needed to worry about editing or missing a shot. </p>
</blockquote><p>“Wow, my love is an internet star.” Basira’s voice had a very fake ton of excitement to it. “</p><p>“Jon had a hunch it was gunna be a very Buried area, so who better than me to act as guard dog for them?” Daisy gestured to herself with the spatula. “You wouldn’t believe how hard it was-”</p><p>“Shh, don’t spoil it for me. Tell me after. I want to see how impressive your acting skills are.” Basira had been enjoying the show for the most part lately. It started as a way to tease Jon, but Melanie’s work was quite good. Basira didn’t doubt how Melanie might’ve ended up in the archives in the future that wasn’t going to be.</p><p>“Oh, yeah, don’t have those.” Daisy grinned as she headed to the fridge to grab something for cooking. “Not a spoiler though, Jon was the one to help me with my hair. Melanie was very adamant about if I had to have my face censored, that my hair should be radiant. It was probably an exaggeration, but Jon whipped out youtube.”</p><p>“Hm, yeah. I can see that. That braid isn’t your normal style. It’s nice.” </p><p>“Jon spent about 15 minutes looking at thumbnails till he was content.”</p><p>The video continued to play, but nothing of too much excitement happened while the two were distracted. It was Melanie going over some of the sponsors since they tended to shoot several placements throughout the night of filming. That way whenever there was a downtime, they could put the product placement there. </p><p>The fact the product placement was run at the beginning always was a sign that the rest of the episode was about to be off the walls. </p><p>--</p><p>Jon put down the camera after Melanie finished up the whole product placement edition 1. </p><p>“We should get a few shots of Daisy unlocking the door now, thinking we will only need maybe two? One normal and chill than one from a Watching angle.” </p><p>“Oh? You normally hate doing those?” Melanie smiled at that and teased “what with the whole ‘making it look like a security camera could traumatize all our viewers if you shot it’ nonsense.”  </p><p>“I- yes I know. And I won’t do it that way. Bad enough I had to explain what I was to your editor so I didn’t end up haunting their dreams cause they stumbled on our test footage. I meant there is a chair there so I would hold the camera up high.”</p><p>“Wow, how would that even work? Everyone sees a creepy clip and you get unlimited snacking?” Daisy tworled the keys on her finger. </p><p>“That’s what Jon thinks would happen. I can’t blame him though. I don’t want to creep them out too much. Jon’s just dramatic about it.”</p><p>“That checks out.” Daisy started to do the first unlock while Jon hoovered. She was extremely amused at how into it Jon got as she saw it first hand. She’d have to remember to ask him later if it counted as feeding since still watching. </p><p>“Do you normally do it just the two of you? Don’t people like have, I dunno, sound teams or something?”</p><p>“Nah, they bailed on me after a bad run, not right away, but slowly. So just Jon and I for the really spooky-” Jon groaned when Melanie said that “-ones. Otherwise I have another person that helps film when Jon’s not interested. They generally don’t like being around Jon.” </p><p>Daisy made a sharp inhale since that kinda implied many less than good things. </p><p>“It’s not that bad. I mean it is, but it’s only when cameras are involved. I kinda almost made them terrified to take pictures? It was about a year back when I was getting used to all the changes.” </p><p>“Ah.” Daisy could tell there were layers there.  </p><p>Jon finished finagling the chair to get the view he wanted. “Alright. That should be good enough Grace won’t complain about not having enough interesting things to include in the early edits. Deeper we go?” </p><p>Melanie grinned and lead the way, with Daisy behind her. Jon kept some distance, making sure that both he and the camera took it all in. For as much as Jon seemed to enjoy being ‘grumpy academic’, seeing him in full exploration mode was a nice change.</p><p>They continued through the old structures that seemed to change building styles the deeper they went. Not like how the tunnels were. It was more like buildings kept being built over old, without removing the old ones. </p><p>Melanie talked about the history of each floor, chatting with Daisy about the ruins. Jon chimed in from time to time with facts, sometimes useful things, other times not so much. </p><p>Then they arrived at their destination to find the ‘haunted’ rope.</p><p>--</p><p>Daisy came over to the table with breakfast when one of the ads interrupted the video. </p><p>“A rope?” Basira took her plate and made room for Daisy. </p><p>“That was my thoughts exactly when I first saw it. Doesn’t look like much on camera, but being near it while it did its thing? Pretty sure if King wasn’t claustrophobic, she would be now if I wasn’t there.”</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>The ad finished and returned to Melanie reaching out to grab the rope, as the legend said to, and the video began to glitch out with a moaning sound that seemed to cause the static in the video to pulse with it. Jon’s voice could be heard mixed in, but it wasn’t words so much as nervous noises.</p>
</blockquote><p>Basira made a noise of interest when Daisy pointed out. “Nothing was happening. She was just standing there holding the rope while Jon was watching the entity do it’s thing. He told me after it was like being in the coffin all over again, but less? He and I couldn’t feel it the same as King did. ” </p><p>“Seems pretty reckless. She okay?”</p><p>“Oh yeah, Jon and I helped her out. More me than him.” Daisy looked rather pleased with herself.</p><p>--</p><p>Georgie threw an orange across the room for Melanie. </p><p>“Thanks for letting me crash at your place.” Melanie caught it without disturbing the furball on her lap. “Being able to monitor the episode launch-”</p><p>“Don’t mention it. My couch is always open. Why you think it’s so dang worn in?” Georgie made her way over and plopped next to Melanie on the open spot, Leaning into Melanie a bit to see the laptop screen. “It upload alright? Or too spooky for youtube?” </p><p>“It loaded fine. Comments are hilarious on this one so far. Seems like Martin went off on someone for saying that the effects were lame.” </p><p>“It’s sweet how supportive he is.” Georgie looked to the comment Melanie pointed out. “Oh wow. He really did go off. Didn’t think he understood that much about editing?” Georgie grinned as she sent a text to Jon teasing him about his supportive boyfriend. </p><p>Georgie almost dropped her phone when getting the response.</p><p>
  <strong>Convo between Jon and Georgie</strong>
</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Georgie</strong>: Just saw Martin’s battle on youtube. Such a loving bf. </p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong>: I’m dying, you are seeing the filtered version. Martin is very upset at this commenter cause the Eye deemed it was appropriate to inform him that the commenter has been trying to locate my identity because they are convinced that I must be sexy because of my voice.<br/>Also you could have a loving gf battle for you in the comments like me if you tried.</p>
  <p><strong>Georgie</strong>: you shit, Melanie is right here, what if she saw?!</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong>: I Know :) wasn’t expecting that orange to distract her so much...</p>
</blockquote><p>Georgie sighs while quickly sending a picture of the Admiral to Jon to make it so that conversation text isn’t visible as they keep talking. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fluff chapter cause wow did I have a day yesterday. Nothing bad but just put me in a fluff mood. Also I really enjoy Jon having a hobby xDD (I also kinda miss filming junk so Jon gets to do it for me) </p><p>Jon’s filming special effects would be so freaking amazing to have. Feel like he’s worked with Nikki and other strangers to see how they can keep their spookiness undercontrol in digital stuff, and as he does, learned to ton his powers down so he doesn’t destroy digital footage. </p><p>It’s not perfect, but Melanie probably loved the extra creepy effects that she wont have to have her editors help enhance. </p><p>Does that mean that they make the videos a little cheesier than they need to be? Yes. Does Jon sometimes use his spooky powers for the views? Yes. </p><p>Also Jess from the eye-pocalypse works with Melanie on the more ghost less entities locations. (pointing out just in case it’d been a while) They don't mind being around Jon, just never when filming. </p><p>Funny how the slowburn tag seems to be more for Georgie and Melanie when originally it was there for Jon and Martin.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0056"><h2>56. Avoidance problem?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>cw and glitch text in end notes.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>To say Jon had spent the last month moping around, wouldn’t be quite right. Because he wasn’t moping, but he also wasn’t not moping. He was definitely avoiding basically all talk of rituals and work talk never left the archives. If things came up, Jon would change topics quickly, or suddenly be scarce. </p><p>If it wasn’t obvious to their friends, Martin knew for sure without a doubt it was bugging Jon. That there was some sort of mental coping that Jon did that ranged from ‘fixate an almost unhealthy amount’ to ‘avoid so hard that it would’ve taken literal <em>worms</em> to make him face it down’. </p><p>This time, majority of people didn’t get to see Jon’s year and a half long relationship with denial, but Martin remembered it. And god was it stressing Martin out. Every few days he would poke at Jon with a small “we gunna talk about what's bugging you?” to get a colorful variety of reasons to not. And Martin was okay with that. Jon was stubborn and he loved him for it. </p><p>Jon was out doing something reckless with Melanie while Martin was enjoying some tea and the Marshal. He ran his hand through her fur while she purred. </p><p>“What are we going to do about him? It’s not me overthinking. I know it’s not. Jon doesn’t just suddenly let things go like this. I would like him to. So he can relax. But it’s like I know, Know, it’s not the case.” </p><p>She let out a little trill of a purr while Martin slumped to the table. “Yeah, I’m probably looking too much into it. But he is notorious for not taking care of himself emotionally. Not to mention suddenly he and Melanie being best friends...” </p><p>Marshal rolled over and started to play swat at Martin’s hand. At the same time, Martin noticed the tape recorder running on the table. </p><p>“Listening in again hmmm? I’m not jealous by the way. If that is why you are here.” He looked away then back again. “Why me? You don’t just pop up for anyone else. I’ve asked.” </p><p>It was gone a moment later, and Martin sighed. Jon with all his infinite insights never explained to him properly. The best he ever got was that tapes appeared for things that needed to be recorded. Like it was simple as that. Why when Martin was alone. Was Jon missing him? Or was it as Jon put it, ‘the Eye is fond” of him.</p><p>The Beholding interrupted to let Martin know Jon was on the block and had dinner. It also provided that Jon’s hands were full. Didn’t need to suggest Martin should get his shoes on and help, but what else was Martin to do with that information. Watch Jon struggle?</p><p>---</p><p>Jon was okay. And he was. As much as everyone worried around him, this was the first time in so many uncountable years that Jon didn’t have to <em>do</em> anything. Nothing world-altering at least. No need to stop the rituals, prepare for one, his friends were alive and weren’t destined to die horrible deaths at the hands of the entities. Sasha’s accident was just that. Tim wasn’t going to explode. Daisy wasn’t going to be lost to the hunt. Melanie wasn’t going to have to blind herself to quit. </p><p>Jon was good. He had a house with Martin, a wonderful cat, things to do, and people to see outside of work. Heck, the only reason he didn’t have a ring on him at all times was cause he couldn’t trust the Beholding not to blab to Martin about it. </p><p>Jon was avoiding something. He hadn’t told Elias how things went with Peter. Elias couldn’t Know either. Elias was predictable. Soon as he knew about what had happened, Jon would need to start worrying about what Elias would do again. Have to overthink all the ways Elias could hurt everyone around him. And that would ruin all the ways Jon was feeling good. </p><p>So, Jon didn’t. To say he was avoiding being alone with Elias would be an understatement. He did his best to bump into Elias while in other departments or make sure they would just miss each other. Jon had even hid out in the bathroom for a good 20 minutes. Missed a few scheduled meetings with Elias even. Simply sent an email being all “hey, sorry got caught up in things. I’ll make the next one.”</p><p>Martin caught onto what Jon was doing early on. Made him feel a little guilty, but only because Martin was worried. Elias could wait forever for all he cared. Martin would bring it up from time to time while they cuddled. Jon wasn’t sure how much Martin knew about what he was going, but just that he was doing it.</p><p>One thing about time being so hard for Jon to grasp after everything, was that a month had passed and it could keep passing like this. Jon could keep this up forever. He’d been a passable skeptic for how many years? Avoiding his boss couldn’t be that much harder.</p><p>---</p><p>Jon’s optimism died on his tongue the moment after he greeted what he thought was an empty archive. Elias was sitting in the chair across from his desk waiting. If Jon had been in any other mood he would have loved to know Elias was sitting in that uncomfortable folding chair for quite a while. </p><p>“Morning Jon. Been a while. Seems we’ve both been rather busy and kept missing each other.” That fake cheer in Elias’ voice grated at Jon.</p><p>“Seems that way. I can’t imagine you have a lot of free time to just sit and wait. Even if it’s what you are best at…” Jon took his coat off and tossed it in the corner where it normally went for Marshal to cuddle up in.</p><p>“I see you are in a mood. I’ll keep it quick. How did things go with Peter? He filled me in on a bit, but he couldn’t have told me how it actually went after all.” </p><p>“It was a waste of time.” Jon wasn’t going to lie. No real point in lying about it, avoiding it was all he could’ve done. “I- I’m-” How to even word it. “Look, you need to give up on the ritual. It can’t happen again. The door is closed and it’s staying that way.”</p><p>Elias’ fake pleasantries faded, replaced with something more aligned to spite. “How unlike you to give up. I’m sure there is more.”</p><p>Jon let out a heavy sigh. Martin was still 15 minutes away with Marshal. Jon regretted not waiting. “It’s pointless. I can’t be marked anymore. The previous ones are probably still even there. Just they stopped scaring me, so they stopped counting. I’m not scared of the encounters with entities anymore. Not in a way that matters for the ritual.” </p><p>“I was afraid that this would happen. First time around also. Basira played such a pivotal role in keeping you afraid back then. Once you stop being human enough to be marked.” </p><p>Jon glared but remained silent. </p><p>“Well. Bit of a setback, but now it wasn’t a waste to have a backup Archivist. Not too late to start preparing. The Web will be the hardest part, since he enjoys spiders, but I’m sure-” </p><p>Static cut Elias off. It cut off all conversations in the institute of the few people that came in before nine. Everyone could feel Jon’s rage in the air, buzzing like the air before a lightning storm, without knowing Jon as the source. Just something in the air was wrong. But for Elias, feeling it would be an understatement of what he felt. </p><p>All of Jon’s glowing eyes focused and Looked at Elias. It wasn’t just Jon looking at him. It was almost as if he was staring at the Eye that watched from the sky for so long. </p><p>“̩̦̤̮̫̉̄͛̎͘͠ͅO̗̩͓͂͑͐̆̚͜͟ṉ̛͚͖̻̹͑̍̏̕e̛̼̙̘̳̻̻̅̌͂͊ ȇ͚̙̝͉͙̗̓͐͊̃̾ͅỹ̟͉̤̙̽̄̅ȩ̝̲̭̤̈́̏͋̽͆ i͕͖̫̩̮̤͙͋͒́̊͛̚͞ŝ̡̘͓͙̔͑̿̃͢ ę̧͉̭͉͕̐̀̐̑͋͢͡͞n͖͙͍͋̑ȯ̤͖͈͉̱͆̋̏̽͢͞ụ̞̖̫̯̺̓̃̒͌̋̚g̛̪̯͇͇͖͗̍̃̑́̒͟ͅh̺̱̲͓̱̝͒̀͛̈́͌͡ t̛̰̥͂͌ͅo͚͕̥̦̪̘̱̒͛̌̊̅̔͞ w̟̘̣̉́̍̓̄͢͟a̢̨̳͇̝̥͒͋̈́͐́͞t̢̨̖̤͍̳̎̔̅͒̾̏̿ͅc̫̝̘̼̗̎͐̆̒͜͡h̢̩̉͆͐͘͜͟ w̢͕̤͔̾̍̏ĩ̱͇̫̏t̨̝͈̎̎͞h̛̬̬͖͚͑̓͞.̗̭̗͆̽”̨̧̖͈̫̇̌̅̕͠</p><p>It wasn’t Jon’s voice. It was, just not entirely just his. </p><p>Then Elias blinked. When he did two things happened. The first was Elias couldn’t see the right side of the room anymore, the Knowledge that he would never be able to see from that side again settled in his mind. There wasn’t pain in his eye. It looked the same as ever. In theory, there was a perfectly, undamaged, working eye. Elias just couldn’t see using it anymore. He almost entertained the thought of Jon using it to watch every one of Elias’ movements from here on out, but he couldn’t Know if that was true. </p><p>The second was he couldn’t remember. Elias knew what he had forgotten, but he couldn’t remember. Couldn’t Know. The fact that the ritual succeeded was there. That his plan had worked, but what were the details of the plan. Of any of the ritual plans. It was on the border of his mind, but locked. Thinking about it made it slip further away. Only the fact remained that he succeeded in whatever he had done, and he will never be able to remember how. </p><p>Neither needed to exchange any further words. Elias left silently. A point was made, and that would not be forgotten.</p><p>---</p><p>Fifteen minutes felt like hours as Martin rushed down into Jon’s office. The Beholding provided limited information of Elias was with Jon in the Archives, then a few minutes later added something along the lines of ‘Martin will be safe now’. </p><p>The rest of the time, it was silent as Martin worried about what that meant. How had Jon interacting with Elias lead to Martin being safe. How could that information be provided without including that Jon was safe? </p><p>All the various ways this result could have happened played out in Martin’s mind. Assisted with Jon’s terrible track record of self-sacrificing, and unhealthy deals, that Jon simply telling Elias something along the lines of ‘be nice to my boyfriend’ wasn’t something that would come close to crossing his mind.</p><p>No, Martin was sure Jon did something reckless and stupid and-</p><p>Martin’s internal gripping was cut off when he saw Jon at his desk. Jon looked oddly calm till his eyes met Martin’s.</p><p>Jon was almost instantly in Martin’s arms before Martin could even enter the room all the way. Jon buried his face into Martin. There wasn’t sobbing, or anything that actually indicated stress response.</p><p>“Jon, what happened. The Eye told me...” </p><p>“I was so mad. That Elias would even think to- Then I Knew how to stop him, and I let it happen. It- I did something terrible, but I- Elias won't be a problem anymore. Least not in the way he was before.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Cw:  Some bad adhd coping methods displayed by Jon,  induced partial blindness(used as a punishment), forced selective amnesia(?)</p><p>Glitch: “One eye is enough to watch with.”<br/><b>Edit</b> been bothering me this wasn't the clearest, but I kinda picture Jon and Elias both see the world very differently since they can see from all eyes near or far, so they see the world kinda like someone in a monitor room. so losing access to one in their face would be more like losing an hdmi port or taking away a screen so the other one has to work harder. (it's been bothering me that partial blindness might have been seen at the punishment rather than Jon just showing he is more powerful than elias.) </p><p>---<br/>Notes: quite a bit of POV shifts here &gt;&lt;) sorry if it's disjointing at all. Really wanted to get this part of my outline wrapped up cause it was starting to feel really drawn out. Quite a bit of fluff is on the way. </p><p>the angry scene was kinda hard to write cause I got all these cool ghibli style hair going fluff from rage mental images for Jon here, but just how that heck to write that in the moment without it sounding corny?? I at least didn’t figure it out. Still happy how it turned out, but also meta for all: Jon’s hair angry fluffed ghibli style the moment Jonah went bastard and Jon+beholding went "how dare you threaten Martin"</p><p><b>Edit:</b> arctusCanis drew such a neat concept of Jon being BA <a href="https://rebellum.tumblr.com/post/641133682996002816"> [Link to art]</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0057"><h2>57. Somewhere between nervous and okay</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“It just me or is Jon doing that thing again?” Tim sat on Sasha’s desk while listening to Jon recording in the other room. </p><p>“You mean where he is acting overly cheerful but in a fake way cause he is nervous about something?” Sasha gathered up some of the papers on her desk into a folder before tossing it into a bin on her desk. </p><p>“Yeah. He’s been going it since Elias’ eye went gray. Think something happened between them?”</p><p>“Probably, considering you are the only one that can see the change. His eyes look the same to me.” Tim had mentioned it to Sasha the day he noticed the change, and it’s been bugging both of them. They’d asked Jon about it, asked if something had happened, and Jon dodged that conversation so skillfully they knew something was up.</p><p>Sasha was trying to give Jon space, but Tim couldn’t seem to let it go. </p><p>“What is he hiding. It can’t be good if he is so determined to keep up appearances like this.”</p><p>“Tim, let him have his space. I’m sure whatever happened, Martin is on it.” </p><p>“It shouldn’t be just in Martin. We are his friends too right? He doesn’t have to always be so distant.” </p><p>“It makes sense though. Jon’s been severely Traumatized, by people with our faces no less, even if we only know some of the details. Even if he is working on it, his first reaction for either of us isn’t comfort. Just got to let him have space.” Sasha wasn’t happy about what she was saying, but it was something she came to terms with after Jon had told them about the future. </p><p>Sure they were friends, of course they were. But Jon’d watched her become replaced in a time that wasn’t, and Tim’s first reaction to learning all this was so in line with what Jon had told them of the reaction in the future. She was certain any separation they could’ve had from the current them and the future them was severed at that time. Now Sasha tended to give off Stranger vibes more often than not, hanging out with Nikki most weekends had that effect on her now, and Tim still tended to treat all the entities hostility, it was practically the same combo that had traumatized Jon in the future even if it was new to them. Heck, it was practically in the same months even. It made sense that Jon didn’t come to them for comfort from interactions with Elias. </p><p>Tim didn’t quite share the understanding she had with those facts. She was sure he understood them, he just wasn’t happy to leave it at that. Tim’s urge to protect Jon was probably on par with Jon’s need to protect them from a future he’d lived. </p><p>“Earth to Sasha, you zoned there, You hear anything I just said?” Tim interrupted her thoughts. </p><p>“Oh, sorry, what were you saying?”</p><p>“I was saying I think we need to lock Jon out of the archives till he feels better.”</p><p>Sasha gave him an unimpressed look. “I know what you are going for, but that practically like telling him he can’t eat until he tells you what is wrong. He wouldn’t be able to take walk in statements if he is locked out.” </p><p>“Shit, you’re right...” </p><p>“If we let him be, it should be fine after some time. If you really want to help, sorting some files should put him at ease.” </p><p>“Uuuuugh, Why’s it always come down to working in this place.” </p><p>--</p><p>Jon had to face it. He was getting stronger. Was the Eye favoring him for cleaning up the archives? Was it because he was creating his own archive away from this mess? Was it that Jon had fully accepted his role as Archive that it felt uncomfortable at times to be referred to as the Archivist? Could it be something Jonah was or wasn’t doing? Did Jon choose something without realizing it?</p><p>He didn’t Know. And he couldn’t figure out how to slow it down or stop it. Didn’t know if he actually wanted to stop it. But no. He did want to stop it. </p><p>Whatever Jon had done to Elias, it wasn’t an extraction of knowledge nor removal. It was a blocker, or maybe a forced shift of focus. The information was still there, just couldn’t be known. It was as though Elias couldn’t recognize the information as he looked at it, and once remembering it was there, it slipped away from him and became forgotten. Only, that something had been forgotten wasn’t under the same rules, so he could remember forgetting something. It felt very Spiral in nature. </p><p>There was also the removal of whatever protection the Eye offered to Elias’ mind that bothered Jon. Jon could Look at Elias now like he could any normal person. He could Know Elias with little to no resistance. Was it Elias lost favor, or just simply Jon was stronger now?</p><p>Jon took a deep breath and pulled out a statement he’d been meaning to rerecord so he could take it home and file it away. </p><p>“Statement of Albrecht von Closen, regarding a discovered tomb near his estate in the Black Forest. Original statement given as part of a letter to Jonah Magnus, March 31st, 1816. Audio recorded to The Archive.”</p><p>“Statement begins...”</p><p>--</p><p>Jon was moping on the couch all weekend. Martin did his best to comfort Jon, and it did work. It wasn’t like Jon was upset and if he could have Martin’s affection 24/7 he would not complain. But there was a but. </p><p>They had both talked about the incident with Elias, and it ended up leading to something of an argument? Nothing bad, but Jon wasn’t recovering the same as Martin did. Which would be Martin’s nice way of pointing out, Jon was getting paranoid.</p><p>“Are you Watching Elias again?” Martin tossed a blanket over Jon as the nights were starting to get cold, but not so much to warrant more than just adding a layer for warmth. </p><p>Most of Jon’s eyes looked to Martin, the few looking elsewhere glowed. </p><p>“Yes...I just want to make sure-”</p><p>“This isn’t an argument.” Martin could hear the tense tones in Jon’s voice. “He doing anything interesting?”</p><p>“Oh...Um, no not really. He was just cooking dinner, hate that he seems to actually know his way around the kitchen.”  </p><p>“I guess advantages of being around 200 some years then? Took some cooking classes?” </p><p>Jon’s eyes lit up as he Knew. “Yes. After the first 90 years, he’d gotten so bored of the taste of food he went out of his way to learn how to cook differently and season food with more varity. Apparently, each of his victims have different taste pallets too so he had to learn how to appeal to each of them.” Jon made a face as his eyes went to normal. “Gross. I hate this.” </p><p>Jon barrito’ed in the blanket, as if covering all his eyes could stop the seeing.</p><p>Martin let out a fond sigh as he pulled Jon to lean into him. “Sounds gross. Knowing cursed information is kind of our thing.”</p><p>“Least you are safe from it. You positive you can’t Know anything about him?” Jon’s voice was muffled from the blanket. </p><p>“Not a thing. But knowing isn’t that much a skill of mine.”</p><p>The blanket bobbed slightly, which Martin assumed was a nod. “Good.”</p><p>“Think your focus this last week could be that he was a blind spot, now your curiosity of the space is at max fixation?”</p><p>“Probably. I’m also nervous he is going to do something in revenge. I severed part of his connection to the Beholding. He’s extremely mad about it. If I look away, he will probably be able to feel the shift and start plotting...He’s good at waiting.”</p><p>“So, less curiosity and more intimidation then?”</p><p>“Yes, no, maybe? I don’t-” Jon’s head emerged from the blanket cocoon he was in. “I’m just worried. It’s easier to watch him than face my real problems. It feels like this was too easy. Things are never easy. Not for me. It has been about a year and a half since- and I’ve- We’ve been able to prevent everything bad from happening. At least into a stable low threat levels of normal. Everyone is in a place where their lives aren’t threatened, everyone is able to relax finally. Not like I want Elias to retaliate, but…”</p><p>Jon looked almost like he had when he had asked Martin to Quit with him. “I don’t know what to do from here. I don’t know what I’m going to do with the rest of my- existence now? Serving the Eye was bearable when it was to protect everyone, to change everything for the better. And now that- what is there now? I’m still stuck hurting people. And I’m only getting stronger...” Jon was stumbling over his words a bit. </p><p>“Oh Jon…” Martin put his forehead to Jon’s so their eyes met. Martin went to say something but Jon interrupted.</p><p>“I’m- Martin I don’t know how to continue this. How long till I’m more Beholding than I am Me? Jonah struggled. With his first victim, he was a mess. But then the second, the third, his biggest concerns became things like if his favorite foods would stay the same, if he would react to tannins the same way?” Jon let out a bitter laugh, his eyes fully glowing again. “Can you believe the only reason Elias is in his position was that the other candidate couldn’t hold their liquor?” </p><p>“Jon, you need to stop. Take a breath. You are not like him. Jonah wasn’t a good person before, we’ve both read the letters addressed to him. What you are focused on was how Jonah coped with the fear of getting caught as a body snatcher, not that he was snatching bodies. He wouldn’t have been a mess cause he cared. So stop comparing yourself to him.” </p><p>Jon’s eyes stopped glowing but he remained silent. </p><p>“Okay, off the couch.” Martin stood up and dragged a very baffled Jon with him. </p><p>“Martin, what-?”</p><p>“We are going out to dinner. Fancy restaurant the works. I’m taking you on a date, and we are going to talk about boringly normal things. You need to get out of your head for a bit. We can return to figuring out what the future holds after you haven’t been watching Elias all weekend. Not saying you have to stop, but I know you can multitask.” Martin talked as he headed to the bathroom to check how he looked while Jon followed, still wrapped in the blanket. “What do you think about that one expensive Italian place with the extensive sea food section?”</p><p>“The place where they will stop you if you are in jeans?” </p><p>“Yup, that's the one. I’m feeling overpriced revenge.“ </p><p>“That might be nice.”</p><p>“Might? What if I don a suit? Would that make it nicer?” </p><p>“No, though I think that one red button up and vest would be far nicer than the suit.”</p><p>“Mmhmm, that is a nice combo. Only if you wear the purple one. It brings out the green in your eyes and I find it quite lovely.” </p><p>Jon finally smiled. “I’ll go iron it while you get ready.” </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! Been some days since last update &gt;&lt;) Got a little stumped with how to pick up act 8 of my outline and then life got in the way of focus. Hope everyone’s been well. </p><p>Also wow mag189. My fic story line definitely diverges at 188 cause no way do any of my plans line up with that xDD (excited to see other fics pop up based on it. Might end up making one myself if any ideas come to mind)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0058"><h2>58. Jon is a bad tour guild</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Martin’s dreams were changing. So were Sasha’s. It was an odd thing for the both of them, but neither one really noticed until they bumped into each other one night. </p><p>For Martin, his dreams shifted from gaining memories to every few dreams he was surrounded by shelves filled with books or statements. He didn’t think much of it since it seemed to be sorta like how Jon described his dream archive, but also it’s not uncommon to dream about workplace settings. Those dreams Martin would normally just walk the isles and think of poetry he would write when he woke up. </p><p>With Sasha the space would shift slightly depending on who she last hung out with, but the basis was always normal shelves stretching endlessly. After hanging out with Nikki, the labels would normally shift in weird ways, or there would be the feeling of not quite being Sasha while wandering. While after hanging out with Daisy, the halls would feel wider. After hanging out with anyone in the archives, her dream would just feel comfortable. Sasha rarely remembered her dream when she woke up, so it never came up in conversation. </p><p>But neither of them had bumped into another being in their dreams. Yet here they stood staring at each other. Sasha was wearing the dress she’d worn over to Jon and Martin’s place, and Martin was in his nightclothes. They’d just seen each other in those maybe an hour ago?</p><p>“Hello?” Martin was the first to speak up. Not even sure if he had a voice here till now.</p><p>“Hi, um, Why are you in my dream? I don’t think I’m dreaming about you?”</p><p>“Hmm well, I was about to ask the same thing? Maybe, this is Jon’s domain?” </p><p>Sasha let out a sigh. “You know, probably. We are cursed to be tied to the institute after all. Makes sense we’d be there while sleeping”</p><p>“No. We aren’t at the Institute.” Martin corrected. “This is Jon’s Archives. There is a very distinct difference. There is nice carpeting.”</p><p>Sasha smiled at how grumpy Martin looked over that. “My bad. Think Jon is around someplace?”</p><p>“I assume if he is sleeping he would be. This means he is probably awake.”</p><p>“Or he is avoiding us?”</p><p>“Why do you think that?”</p><p>“He’s been weirder than normal. I get it, but he really needs to just let himself get grumpy over whatever is bothering him. It’s annoying seeing Tim so focused on it. I swear he practically mentally adopted Jon as a sibling at this point.”</p><p>“I’m aware of that. It's just complicated” Both Sasha and Martin jumped at hearing Jon’s voice from the next aisle over. </p><p>“Christ Jon! Did you have to eavesdrop then just join in as you please!?” Sasha glared as Jon turned the corner. All his eyes were glowing as his attention was everywhere. Jon also had a look that while being everywhere included that he was barely there. </p><p>Martin laughed. “You clearly don’t live with him. It's just what he does.” There was so much fondness while also a hint of tiredness love can’t quite cover. </p><p>“I try my best to make noise when I approach. I just, not used to company here.” Jon latched onto Martin and mumbled something along the lines of ‘evening love’.</p><p>“I thought you weren’t planning on sleeping tonight?” Martin rubbed Jon’s back as he responded with a noise not all unlike a purr but definitely like a tape recorder. </p><p>“Well, you both finally met, so I wanted to be here for it. See what would happen. You are both normally much less aware of things.”</p><p>“Wait, you’ve known we were here this whole time?”</p><p>“Yes? I know everything.” Jon looked both confused and slightly offended Sasha would imply he didn’t know something in his domain. “Isn’t that obvious?”</p><p>“Right. So what now?”</p><p>Jon tilted his head. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“Well, now that we’ve met, and I’m aware of all this, what happens? Is it just some weird dream hangout with nothing to do?”</p><p>“There is hardly nothing. You are literally surrounded by an entire humanity’s worth of stories.”</p><p>“Jon, I think she doesn’t want to do the same thing in her dreams as she does at work.” </p><p>“Oh...<em>Oh</em>!” most of Jon’s eye remain glowing, save for the two that came with his face.” Yes. Um I suppose.” Jon was slightly more focused. “Well there's not much to do here than to interact with statements, but um…” </p><p>Jon pinched his nose as an eye on his cheek blinked. “Well there are a quite a few statements with good folly behind the fear, so you could watch whatever the person was watching, or-”</p><p>“Wait, are you saying I’ll just watch tv while someone is reliving the worst moment in their lives?”</p><p>Jon nodded. “I do it from time to time. All the statements are reruns for me so I look for other things from time to time. I could catalog it for you for easy reference.”</p><p>“I’m, okay I think. But I’ll let you know if I ever want to take you up on that offer.” </p><p>Jon nodded again. “It’s actually already done, but I can wait to show you. Meantime, I can give you both a proper tour so you don’t just keep wandering aimlessly.”</p><p>---</p><p>Sasha woke up relatively disoriented. She remembered her dream so perfectly it was almost like she hadn’t been asleep at all. To say it was weird would be an understatement. Jon was just Jon, while also very not Jon. </p><p>She grabbed her phone to check the time and there was a text message from Jon. </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> today at 5:03 AM<br/>
I’m so sorry for last night. I’d expected to have more time to warn you about the dream thing. But then you and Martin ran into each other, and I didn’t want you both to be lost and confused, cause it’s very easy to get into The Spiral territory there if you don’t know the way around. But because I was caught off guard, I never got time to warn you about it. I can be a bit more in touch with the beholding there and a little more detached from being Jon. Feel free to take the day off if you need time to process. </p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> today at 5:04 AM<br/>
I also feel I should apologize cause I did intentionally both eavesdrop and greet you from the other aisle for the moment of fear you both had of being watched since you were very confident you weren’t being. And I feel terrible about it and I would like you to know I understand if you are upset and I can do my best to stay way from you in the dreams or while we are awake.</p>
  <p><strong>Sasha</strong> today at 5:05 AM<br/>
Jon it’s fine, I was startled but this changed nothing. So PLEASE stop worrying. Wake Martin up and get some cuddle therapy or something.</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> Today at 5:05 AM<br/>
But I was horrible to you there.</p>
  <p>Sasha today at 5:08 AM<br/>
<strong>You</strong> really werent. At most just weird. But thats normal for you. If you really feel bad, just bring pastries and talk to Tim. promise me you will warn him if there is a chance he’ll be wandering around there at some point.</p>
  <p><strong>Sasha</strong> today at 5:10 AM<br/>
I also expect an explanation as to why I’m in your dreams like that.</p>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong> today at 5:15 AM<br/>
That last thing is easy. It’s because you are bound to the Archive and I’m the Archive. </p>
</blockquote><p>Sasha sighed. It was too early to deal with Jon so she rolled over and opened her laptop to focus on anything else.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for the short update after longer than intended break xDD this part of my outline isn’t lining up well with my head space so basically been rewriting and deleting and rewriting this interaction. At one point there was Tim, but some reason he is so hard for me to write in this fic while in the other fic I’ve been working on, he is smooth as silk(??)</p><p>Can’t see it changing any time soon tbh so I’m shifting the outline a bit so flow is going to be weird and its lead to three things.</p><p>1. Elias will be spending a lot longer upset that there were consequences for his actions<br/>2. The ending wont have the fluff trickled in the way I set up, so will be much more condensed when the action pick up.<br/>3. So much freaking fluff in the meantime that are more stand alone interactions on a time line than they are plot. </p><p>If anyone has favorite fluff they’d like to see more of feel free to comment here, otherwise expect some jmat, wtgf and Jon’s new career in youtube for the next several updates xDDD</p><p>Hope everyone has been staying safe!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0059"><h2>59. Planting seed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>a handful of random moments and interactions. More information on it in the end notes.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Georgie, I need to ask you for a serious favor.” Jon sat on her couch while the Admiral gave the Marshal a bath on his lap.</p><p>“There are two ways this can go. So I can make no promises, but I’ll hear you out.” Jon was either about to ask her something so terribly mundane like a glass of water, or to help him kill a man. </p><p>“I need your help picking out a ring. For Martin.” </p><p>“Shit yes. Completely yes! Gosh I can’t believe you are finally going to. I’m so proud of you. You going to do a wedding?” </p><p>“I don’t even know if he will say yes-”</p><p>“You brought your child here for a play date and own a house together. If he doesn’t say yes then I’ll give you full custody over the Admiral.” </p><p>Jon choked a laugh. “If that is all it would take for my son to come home.”</p><p>“Oh shush. Point is, do you want to do anything fancy or small thing?”</p><p>“I haven’t even thought that far. Or talked with Martin about it to be honest. I just figure he’s been getting better at Knowing things, so I want to be able to do it while it can still be a surprise. I Know what size it’ll need to be so that wont be a problem either.”</p><p>“Oooh do you have plans on how you are going to ask?” Georgie got comfortable on the couch next to him without disturbing the children.</p><p>“I do have something in mind. Our anniversary is sort of coming up if you ignore the year. So I was sort of thinking it would be funny to ask him on the day of, so we could be engaged before we started dating.” Jon gave off the air that it was way funnier in his mind than it was in reality. </p><p>“Oh wow. That is cheesy, and dramatic. I support it 100%. Let me grab my laptop and we can figure out which shops to check out.” </p><p>---</p><p>Martin was having a rough time. He’d been looking at the timeline of things Jon and he had put together to try and save some people. The date Helen would run into Michael was coming up, and Jon had pointed out he wasn’t sure if there would be anything they could really do about it. </p><p>Martin wanted to stop it, one last favor to the Helen he grew to know after the world ended. But the distortion was into long games, so it would probably just wait until neither were paying attention. Not to mention he’d noticed Jon being slightly more spacy than normal, so it was most likely on his mind. </p><p>Jon had brought up one tactic a while ago which was that he do something to claim her so the other entities wouldn’t be interested, but it wasn’t something he wanted to do. Just that it would get Michael’s attention off of her potentially. It never came up again, and with Jon being fairly hands-off after his encounter with Elias, they stopped talking about it all together with the future becoming something unknown to discover rather than something they needed to work to change.</p><p>Martin enjoyed that. They could start planning for their future, rather than planning to prevent the future.</p><p>It was an interesting shift that Martin wasn’t going to complain about, but he couldn’t help but worry just a little.</p><p>---</p><p>Elias sat in his home office watching several places at once. He was getting used to having less of a reach, of losing his favor with the Beholding he had held for 200 years. He knows he had created Jon to be the perfect Archive, one that would be favored enough for a successful ritual, even if he couldn’t remember the details. </p><p>He needed to figure out how to gain his favor back before it was too late. The only thing he could think to do that would be to watch for now. So he shifted his viewing from just his employees to try to follow fear throughout the city. </p><p>---</p><p>Tim had a date. A friend of his from research had set it up, said that they thought the fellow would be Tim’s type and he didn’t have any other plans. </p><p>He got there a little early to get the table, and sent the person, whose name was Graham, a text to let him know and also to point out that Tim was wearing a red button-up. Graham had texted back pretty quickly with an emoji and pointed out he was only a stop away. </p><p>It’d been a while since Tim went on a date. After Danny, well Tim kinda stopped looking for relationships. Too much going on emotionally to deal with much more. There was a small point in time where he might have considered asking Sasha out, but after one night of getting drunk and complaining about life, she pointed out how annoyed she was that people think anyone not interested in dating just need to find the right person to fix that, he agreed with her. It was a very annoying pressure he’d gotten from his parents multiple times. </p><p>Tim had taken comfort in that he really didn’t need to date either, and thus he went years without bothering. Not that he hadn’t been interested in dating, but just not then. Almost not even now, but with how things were going, what could it hurt. Worse comes to worse, he would waste a Friday night.</p><p>A man walked into the restaurant and looked over to Tim with a bright smile, all while Tim felt a slight dread. The other, he was assuming Graham, was marked by several entities that Tim could see. Poor dude almost looked as bad as Jon through Tim’s eyes, lacking all the physical traits. </p><p>“Hey, You Tim?” Graham offered his hand with a smile. Tim took it with a smile. After looking away from the marks, Graham was pretty nice looking.</p><p>“Yeah, Pleasure to meet you.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So shifted my outline a bit to conclude the main plot rather sooner than later, and all the extra bits will be oneshots in the au rather than building up to a climax. </p><p>Partially cause I want to be able to write without worrying about if new idea will mess up my plans, and partially because I’m getting impatient and wanna share it. So this chapter is setting up some things to be able to pull off my outline in a smooth manner &gt;:3c </p><p>Gathering opinions on this: Once I reach the conclusion of the main plot, would starting a new epilogue fic be better or just continue updating this one, after tossing in a “main story concludes in chapter XX and epilogue chapters start at chapter X1”? It’s still a ways off, but wanted to gather thoughts on the matter cause I dunno what I want to do. (seen it both ways and I enjoy it both ways xDD)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0060"><h2>60. Tim's un-simple date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey, long time no see all~ hope everyone had lovely holidays and a safe new years~ </p><p>Since been a while, I made a small bullet point list like summery for everything that happened. Sorta like a recap of the things up till I think might be important? (since there are a good handful of other time-travel fix-its) </p><p>It's at this link here: <a href="https://i.gyazo.com/5aec8b1f53722f536640d1232241c569.png">link</a> It might have some meta but not much. Just major story beats I remember in a timeline sort of fashion. </p><p>Also no real content warnings for this chapter other than some Stranger strangeness.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Honestly not all that sure what to do with myself. Somehow I lost several years of time, and I’m not even convinced that this is what I actually look like. I feel like I should look like something else, but all the photos of me have this face. Is that too weird to bring up on a first date?” </p><p>“Yes. That's not normally something that one might bring up on a first date, but trust me mate, I’m very not normal. That's kinda like a normal Tuesday topic for me.” </p><p>Tim and Graham moved the date to the park after the meal was done. Had started normal enough, small talk, they had chemistry, so went for a walk. The walk landed them on a park bench enjoying the reflections of the sunsets colors, only for Graham to bring up how his own reflection unnerved him. </p><p>“So, you um, don’t think I’m odd? I didn’t mean to bring it up. I haven’t mentioned it to anyone save for an old friend once, then let it drop when he’d asked if I was safe. I don’t know why-”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it. I, unfortunately, have that effect on people nowadays. I don’t even have to ask, but people are more than happy to spill their horrors around me. Side effect of working at the Magnus Institute.” Tim sounded a bit tired, but not surprised. He could tell Graham had been thoroughly messed up by the Stranger, though he didn’t appear to be an Avatar. “With what you’ve been through, it would be more abnormal for you to recognize yourself.”</p><p>“That’s not ominous in any way. But you are the expert I guess?” </p><p>Tim let out a stale laugh. “No, that would be my boss. If you are worried, he would probably be more than happy to take a look and see if there is anything he can do to help you out. Otherwise, you might just have to get used to the face you see. It doesn’t change on you does it?” </p><p>“God, No, just mine, can faces even do that??” Graham laughed nervously and wasn’t all that confident it was a good thing Tim talked about it like it was nothing. </p><p>“Yeah. They can and do.” </p><p>---</p><p>“Graham, As in Graham Folger? “ Jon popped out from his office while Tim was talking to Sasha about how his date went. </p><p>“Yeah, you know him boss?” Tim leaned back in his chair, figuring if Jon didn’t know him, he would probably Know random junk. </p><p>“You should too, it was case #0070107 where he was mentioned in- You and Sasha both looked into his whereabouts cause the statement giver had seen him replaced- Oh. I didn’t- I never assigned that one out, did I?”</p><p>“Not familiar with it, no, but I can’t recall all the case numbers by memory. Want to tldr it?”</p><p>“Yes, Ah, it was a statement about the Web table and the Not!them. The same creature that would’ve- It was the creature that replaces people.” </p><p>“Of course it is.” Tim leaned forward and buried his face in his hands. “So what, he is part of the Stranger then? Tricked me?”</p><p>“If you didn’t see him as a threat, probably not. I trust your eyes Tim. I can check, but if you think he was human, he more than likely is.” </p><p>Tim nodded. “He looked pretty much like a person, seemed to be collecting Fear stamps like you though.”</p><p>“That’s not ideal. Did he mention anything?”</p><p>“You curious or hungry?” Tim grinned with a playful humor to it. </p><p>“Tim.”</p><p>“What, I wouldn’t fault you for either at this point. I know you are spooky and at least Sasha’s life depends on you not going hunger-strike. But yeah. He mentioned some things so might swing by so you can do your thing.” </p><p>Jon nodded. “Maybe I’ll give Nikki a call as well. See if maybe she did something after she took the table.”</p><p>---</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Jon</strong>: Hey nikola, what did you end up doing with that table gave you a while back?<br/><strong>Nikki</strong>: Oh, nikola kinda business chat then? Well, Might have broken it so they could be free again? Dreadful outcome. Can’t explain why, but what came out was oddly human. He kept looking at us, so we sent him away to be human someplace else.<br/><strong>Jon</strong>:by looking you mean like beholding style or just you don’t like people focusing on you?<br/><strong>Nikki</strong>: bit of both? Think the table must’ve been there too long that the beholding imprinted or something?</p>
</blockquote><p>Jon paused looking at his phone. That certainly didn’t happen before, nor did the Not!them have any trouble pretending to be Sasha for all the time. </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><strong>Nikki</strong>: Oh! Should point out that the table was vandalized, there were some eyes carved into it. <br/><strong>Jon</strong>: Thanks. How come you didn’t tell me?<br/><strong>Nikki</strong>: you didn’t ask silly. I’m your friend but I’m also your competition. <br/><strong>Jon</strong>: right.</p>
</blockquote><p>Jon tossed his phone aside and looked to the ceiling. He could try to Know, but it didn’t seem to be coming to him as random tidbits. He could go fishing for it, but Knowing that way tended to leave him in a daze and he wouldn’t want to be in that state for dinner. Jon could already smell the meal Martin was working on for them both. </p><p>---</p><p>Graham did end up coming in to talk with Jon and sat in front of Jon after signing some sketchy looking papers that claimed talking to Jon could cause weird nightmares, and it was too late to turn back. It was something to do about statements, but who reads all the terms on things like that? Graham was starting to think he should after seeing Jon’s eyes. </p><p>“I’m not here to leave a statement or anything like that. Tim just mentioned you might have some information about weird happenings?” </p><p>“Yeah, if it were anything mundane I wouldn’t have you sign them, but I don’t have complete control over what counts as a statement and what doesn’t regardless of the format.” Jon was Looking at Graham. Tim wasn’t lying when he said that Graham had encounters. Jon could practically taste the statements that lingered off him. The Eye, Stranger, and Web were deep marks, while there was a light touch of End, Dark, Buried, and Spiral as the freshest mark. Handful of them seemed to be interlinked, but even so. “I can tell just by looking that you’ve had some experiences.”</p><p>“That's an understatement.” Graham let out something of a nervous squeak. </p><p>Jon laughed. “Yeah. I was hoping it sounded more positive as an angle. Been working on that lately. So you had some questions?” </p><p>“Right, yeah. So um, Tim mentioned you would be able to tell, but ah, how do I put this. Can you tell is this is my real face? It feels off, like something is wrong and the 10 years I’m missing from my memories seem to have sorta, I don’t know, like I can’t recognize myself.”</p><p>Jon nodded. “After getting a look at you, it’s not your face. Close as it could be from what you remembered before your encounter with the monster in the table. But it’s not completely the same. Like how a nose sometimes doesn’t heal into the same shape after it’s broken.” </p><p>“Fuck.” </p><p>“Yeah. There is a possibility of it continuing to shift the more you try to remember what you looked like, but I would suggest just accepting this is how you healed and try to avoid the thought. Thinking too hard on it will only make it slip through your fingers more, with some rather unpleasant side effects.” Jon Knew that Graham was on a dangerous line of becoming the next Not!them if he dwelled too hard and tried to recall what was lost. </p><p>“So I just have to live with this? How did it even happen? I remember being stalked by something then just waking up in the middle of nowhere with years missing...” </p><p>“I can’t say for sure, but I have a theory I could run by you.” </p><p>“Might as well. Doctors had no idea.”</p><p>“Well, For starters, you appear in a statement were a monster, which we call not!them, and she watched it replace you. The details behind what it does can be rather, well-” Jon made a rather complicated facial expression trying to find the word. “well- the basic is that it will pick a host, replace them, but change every aspect to the person, and everyone around will not notice except for one person. Normally a family member, but with your circumstances, it was a neighbor. ”</p><p>“Do I want to know why you know so much details about my life?”</p><p>“Truth be told, the statement giver seemed to know quite a bit, and did some research on you for the lack of missing person’s reports. It was standard statement follow up to see if it could be marked as credited or discredited. There is a bit of my own insights cause I’ve interacted with the monster that caused you to lose so much time. What I’m unsure of is how you managed to survive. There has never been a surviving host far as I know..”</p><p>“Maybe I’m a zombie who is too clueless? God I need a smoke. You smoke?” </p><p>“I do from time to time. I know a good spot. Want me to show you?”</p><p>“Yes. Please.” Graham was sounding desperate as Jon prepared to lead Graham to the roof.  </p><p>They spent the time on the roof talking about what all Graham could remember so Jon could try to figure out what happened. By the end of the conversation, Jon was certain that Elias was working on a backup that wasn’t Jon or Martin. </p><p>Jon was happy that Elias no longer could Know how the ritual worked, but how many more people did he have his Eyes on like this. Jon worried that they might end up getting claimed by other entities. If any of the other entities performed their ritual with an Avatar like him, could it work? The Beholding didn’t Know.</p><p>---</p><p>Later in the day Elias came into the Archives, Martin was certain he had an air of exhaustion. </p><p>“Sorry to interrupt. Glad to see everyone is present. I wanted to inform you that I’ll be taking a few months leave, and might I be able to borrow Sasha for the time? I’m hoping she will be able to assist Peter Lukas while I’m away. I’m sure her ability to mimic other’s will help ease him while he is around. He’s not quite fond of company as you all know.” That last line he looked to Martin almost as though to make a point. </p><p>“No. I can't spare-” Jon started.</p><p>“I’ll do it.” Sasha interrupted before Jon could finish. </p><p>“Sasha, Peter is-” Martin's concern was written all over his face.</p><p>“I know. I’ll be fine. And Elias might have a point. Could help keep Peter from messing with others?”</p><p>“Thank you, I’m sure Peter will be as excited as he can get to have someone that he will be able to not even notice. If you would like, I could give you a walk through of duties when I’m showing Peter around.”</p><p>“That would be nice. Thank you.” </p><p>“I’ll email you a time.” Elias nodded and with that concluded he went to leave. “Oh also Jon? Please don’t bully Peter.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So I completely forgot that Graham was probably in his 30’s back in 2007, so I’m going to ignore that fact, or like the 10 years he spent in the table negated aging or something? he is kinda more an oc than anything else anyway cause not even all that sure what he would be like? But after all the junk with the Stranger, I’m fairly sure he wouldn’t know himself either &gt;&lt;));;; so tim gets a sweet bf who is a tiny bit older. gunna say graham’s time stopped when he was 33 so that would put him at 43 while Tim is somewhere in 30-34 range? </p><p>Also getting close to the end. only 2 more chapters after this of the outlined plot. From there I'm gunna make an epilogue work where I'll write junk and take any requests if people wanna see loose ends or anything from here elaborated on more. it's probably gunna be a lot of Jmart and wtgf fluff, while Jon and Melanie continue spooky hunting for youtube. Definately not done with the setting here, just don't want the plot to continue to be drawn out.</p>
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<a name="section0061"><h2>61. It's in the fine print</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was as easy as paperwork. Of course it was. Jon laughed as he signed his name on the prefilled contract for the transition of the Head of the Magnus Institute. The institute and all its people were tied to Jon now. He could feel the shift and understood Elias really had no idea what his death could do to any of the employees. It was just tiny threads that pulled people back if they went too far. </p><p>Sasha had found while ‘cleaning’ Elias’s office getting it ready for Peter. A drawer that didn’t seem to have anything special of note to it, and mixed in with various other paperwork. Sasha had planned to clean it out to stuff in all of Elias’ items in, even if she needed to break a few pens to make it fit. But instead, she found the contract that was for signing over Head of the Institute, pre-filled save for the name of who would be taking it over. </p><p>It had taken her a minute to really process what she was looking at before calling Jon up to make sure she wasn’t overthinking what she was looking at. Tim ended up tailing along as well, mostly claiming he wanted to mess with Elias’ stuff.</p><p>With one look at it, Jon was able to Know that it was pre-filled because when Elias was transferring bodies, he needed to be able to sign it quickly with his new name otherwise it would count as ‘dying’ and ruin whatever he had put in place to bind people to their job. </p><p>It made sense. Everyone that Elias manipulated into serving the Eye was bound by contracts so Elias wouldn’t be exempt.</p><p>The three of them stood around the desk looking at the paperwork that now read Jonathan Sims name in bold ink.</p><p>“Right, well. I suppose I’m-” Jon looked conflicted. “I guess I’m the reason you all are stuck here, I don’t think this includes the ability to fire you all or I would do so immediately.”</p><p>“So great to know you want to fire us so badly. Gotta say, rather you than Elias. The alone takes a weight off.” Tim looked annoyed, but that was entirely not directed at Jon. “You gunna let him know you just fired his ass?” </p><p>“I. No. I don’t think so. I’ll let him figure it out on his own. Emailing Lukas about it seems like a good idea. I would rather him not be around. Though... Sasha was expected to be in place till Elias came back.” Jon looked at Sasha with an apologetic look. “Do you mind handling some of the paperwork? Martin and I can help, but it would be too alarming for me to step in out of nowhere.”</p><p>“I don’t mind at all. There are worse jobs.” Sasha put a hand on Jon’s shoulder with a smile. “Do you even want to be the head? I mean, not that Elias was any sort of a social person, but you are- less?”</p><p>“It only seems fair? Since it’s-”</p><p>“Since it’s on paperwork that no one is going to look at or notice. Far as anyone knows, Peter left me to handle all the duties Elias stuck him with? And pretty sure only the Eye cares about what is on this paper. Far as the government is concerned, Elias is in charge, and if I read the terms properly, no matter how many more of these he tried to make for the Eye to witness, only ones you sign from here on out are valid.” </p><p>Jon finally smiled. “Thank you. Time to fill everyone else in. I think this requires a celebration.”</p><p>“Gasp! Jonathan Sims suggesting we party from noon to dawn to celebrate his rise to power? It’s already gone to his head.” Tim posed dramatically while leaning onto Sasha.</p><p>“Oh no! We need to hurry to get Martin before the effects are permanent.” Sasha chimed in as Jon buried his face in his hands.</p><p>“If I could I would fire you both.” </p><p>---</p><p>It wasn’t a noon to dawn party that Tim had predicted, but he and Sasha would be taking the next day off to recover. Everyone else faired a little better, but weren’t planning on working for the day either. </p><p>Jon left them in the guest room as he headed to his mini archive to just take a moment to absorb the events of the day.</p><p>There was so much still left to do, but Jon found a sense of accomplishment he was convinced would never come. Sasha was not not!them, even if she was still a little different. Tim wasn’t going to blow himself up, which that thought reminded Jon he still had to figure out what to do about the Unknowing. Nikola had started taking to texting him about it. Elias was handled, in both removing him from the institute and stopping their ritual. </p><p>Martin was safe. Jon rotated the ring he’d gotten with the help from Georgie. Jon wanted to ask him soon. And he had the perfect idea how. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So i’ve had the whole “they remove Elias through paperwork” in mind from the start cause I think it’s hilarious. It takes care of the whole “can’t kill Elias” and “Elias won't let them stay away for too long” things. Jon’s next goal will be to figure a way to let people quit, but the pressure of keeping his people safe is off his shoulders now. &gt;w&lt;))</p><p>originally before I cut the outline short there was going to be more foreshadowing to it like how Elias roped Martin, Sasha and Tim into becoming, but just stumbling on it kinda feels like a better fit for it now that I wrote it out &gt;w&gt;) </p><p>Next chapter is gunna be an epilogue setting up the Sequel fic that will take care of any loose ends and enable me to continue to play around in the sandbox that is this au-fix-it fic some more. Should be ready in about a week cause I gunna be posting the last chapter of this the same time as the first chapter of the sequel. </p><p>If there is anything anyone is curious about seeing more of or resolutions for junk that happened in here, let me know in the comments or on tumblr (if tumblr, let me know its for side-b cause I got 2 fics atm) </p><p>But in the meantime~ Thanks again for sticking with me to this point and all the support!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0062"><h2>62. Statement Ends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hey all long time no update. Who knew writing a conclusion would be so hard?</p><p>Quick recap of the last 61 chapters: Jon and Elias both returned from the apocalypse with their memories to the day Jon was promoted. Jon worked to keep Elias from getting his ritual again, and everyone is okay (few are kinda avatary- but they are okay). Ultimately Jon removed Jonah from his seat of power by promoting himself to head of the institute on very official paper work while Elias was away. </p><p>No content warnings.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Martin hung out in the dream archives after he’d kissed Jon goodnight. Seemed like Jon had been having a harder time sleeping since he took over the role of ‘heart’ from Elias. When asked about it, Jon made excuses. Martin’s favorite excuse was when Jon stated something about being lost in thought and not realizing that he hadn’t started sleeping yet. The runner-up was Jon’s flustered response of counting the freckles on Martin’s face.</p><p>He let out a pleased hum as he leaned on Jon’s desk in the dream, waiting for him to show up. It was still the weirdest thing to not be separated even in dreams, but it was worlds better than dealing with the Lonely. Though Martin was certain there was still a hint of it, it was just nowhere near as strong as it had been after his time as Peter’s assistant. Perks of inheriting a body from before things went to shit, he supposed. At least the disconnect from before ‘his memories returned to him slowly’ and ‘the him of the future that wouldn’t be’ was far less defined as it had been. He was just all Martin without the effects of his domain from the future.</p><p>Even any side effects from being an Archivist didn’t seem to be as pronounced. Maybe it just didn’t suit him as well as it suited Jon? Cause much as Martin disliked what Elias had forced on him, The Beholding really suited Jon much as Martin wished it wouldn’t. Least it wasn’t something more- or well any of the others.</p><p>Martin started to fiddle with something on his finger while he had been lost in thought, only to pause and look down at it. He didn’t remember owning a ring. Sure he had one in his bedside table, but that was for Jon. A simple ring with a little purple stone a few swirled designs etched into the band. The one he was looking at wasn’t that. Martin had never seen this ring. It was pretty, though. Bluestone, with some almost eye-looking motifs? It was on-</p><p>“Christ!” Movement next to Martin startled him. Jon had finally fallen asleep.</p><p>“Hello to you too?” Jon looked unphased, but that clearly was the greeting he’d expected.</p><p>“No. just, lost in thought, Jon have you seen-” Martin was about to ask Jon if the Beholding ever gave like a class ring or something, until he looked at Jon’s hand. There was the purple stone ring, the one Martin was going to present with a poem he hadn’t finished drafting.</p><p>Jon seemed to notice the ring on Martin’s finger as well.</p><p>“Oh. Goddammit.” Jon sounded tired as he started to fade from the dreamscape.</p><p>“Indeed.” Martin followed, waking in his bed next to Jon.</p><p>“So.” Martin couldn’t help but grin, even though his now ringless finger felt bare.</p><p>“It appears our patron decided to foil our engagement plans then?” Jon was sitting with his face buried in his hands, his voice dripping with annoyance.</p><p>“Seems so. We could still do it? Our plans I mean. It’s not like we hadn't talked about it before? If I recall, you’d been annoyed at the lack of jewelers in domains who had not cursed rings?” Martin took one of Jon’s hands, leaving the other for Jon to continue his attempts at hiding.</p><p>“I, Well, I suppose I didn’t quite have a plan. I was <em>Planning </em>it. Had a few ideas. But they all seem too intricate now.”</p><p>“More intricate than the shared non romantic dream archives? Maybe you had a part in it?”</p><p>“No. That was not me at all. I wanted to do something-” Jon stopped as Martin turned over and went digging in his drawer. “What are-”</p><p>“I’m not going to wait any longer I think.” Martin pulled a little box out and held it out to Jon. “So, Jonathan Sims, The Archivist, Archive of Fears, and love of my life, will you marry me?”</p><p>Jon took everything in, opening all his eyes as to not miss a moment. He took in the way that Martin’s heart raced, that little grin mixed with joy and nervousness, and every slightly out of place hair on Martin’s head from the short sleep.</p><p>Jon reached out his hand for Martin. “Yes. Of course.”</p><p>Placing the ring on Jon, Martin was practically glowing from the joy.</p><p>“Its not fair you beat me to it.”</p><p>“It’s completely fair. You were just slow, love.”</p><p>“Hmph.” Jon’s huff had no bite to it as he crawled out of bed and over to his bag. Pulling out a similar box to what was now empty in Martin’s hand.</p><p>“I would still Like to say it.” Jon crawled back into bed. “Will you do me the honor of growing old with me?”</p><p>The mixture of timidness and confidence was too much for Martin as he pulled Jon into a hug. “Shit Jon, Yes. A hundred times. ”</p><p>Jon returned the hug and they stayed like that for a while before Jon got the opportunity to present Martin his ring.</p><p>“Did you notice you picked a ring with an eye pattern on it?” Martin smiled while holding it up to his face as Jon looked dumbfounded.</p><p>“<em>A what</em>?”</p><p>Somewhere a tape recorder clicked off.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was so hard to wrap up &gt;w&lt;)) </p><p>I kept going back and rewriting and not being happy with it, then scrapping it entirely cause it felt off or too rushed? Or just didn’t feel right? I the end tho, I’m beyond happy with this chapter. It just feels right to give them this moment. (that last line I had planned from the start. So rewarding to be able to share it) </p><p>That Rambling said, a big thanks to everyone the read and commented on this. I can’t begin to explain how much the support meant.</p><p>I mentioned this before in the last notes, I’ve got an epilogue in the works, but it might be a while til it’s ready since I’ve got a fic in the works for the Podcast Big Bang 2021 (<a href="https://tinyurl.com/yf3ejet9">Link</a> to the info if you are curious its Jon and Melanie being friends with some youtube chaos). In the meantime, feel free to send me prompts for things that weren’t really concluded in the fic (I got a small list of things that got moved from focus.) </p><p>Thanks again for reading!! Seeya in the epilogue ♥</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Feel free to bother me on Tumblr or Twitter. My username is VentisetteStars on both.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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